Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean
Abstract Background The Northwest Atlantic (NWA) leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) subpopulation is one of the last healthy ones on Earth. Its conservation is thus of major importance for the conservation of the species itself. While adults are relatively well monitored, pelagic juveniles re...
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ftdatacite:10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4419278 2023-05-15T17:31:01+02:00 Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean Lalire, Maxime Gaspar, Philippe 2019 https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4419278 https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/Modeling_the_active_dispersal_of_juvenile_leatherback_turtles_in_the_North_Atlantic_Ocean/4419278 unknown Figshare https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40462-019-0149-5 CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 CC-BY 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified FOS Earth and related environmental sciences Ecology FOS Biological sciences 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Marine Biology Inorganic Chemistry FOS Chemical sciences Collection article 2019 ftdatacite https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4419278 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-019-0149-5 2021-11-05T12:55:41Z Abstract Background The Northwest Atlantic (NWA) leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) subpopulation is one of the last healthy ones on Earth. Its conservation is thus of major importance for the conservation of the species itself. While adults are relatively well monitored, pelagic juveniles remain largely unobserved. In an attempt to reduce this knowledge gap, this paper presents the first detailed simulation of the open ocean dispersal of juveniles born on the main nesting beaches of French Guiana and Suriname (FGS). Methods Dispersal is simulated using STAMM, an Individual Based Model in which juveniles actively disperse under the combined effects of oceanic currents and habitat-driven movements. For comparison purposes, passive dispersal under the sole effect of oceanic currents is also simulated. Results Simulation results show that oceanic currents lead juveniles to cross the Atlantic at mid-latitudes. Unlike passive individuals, active juveniles undertake important north-south seasonal migrations while crossing the North Atlantic. They finally reach the European or North African coast and enter the Mediterranean Sea. Less than 4-year-old active turtles first arrive off Mauritania. Other productive areas on the eastern side of the Atlantic (the coast of Galicia and Portugal, the Gulf of Cadiz, the Bay of Biscay) and in the Mediterranean Sea are first reached by 6 to 9-year-old individuals. This active dispersal scheme, and its timing, appear to be consistent with all available stranding and bycatch data gathered on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe and North Africa. Simulation results also suggest that the timing of the dispersal and the quality of the habitats encountered by juveniles can, at least partly, explain why the NWA leatherback subpopulation is doing much better than the West Pacific one. Conclusion This paper provides the first detailed simulation of the spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile leatherback turtles dispersing from their FGS nesting beaches into the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Simulation results, corroborated by stranding and bycatch data, pinpoint several important developmental areas on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. These results shall help focus observation and conservation efforts in these critical areas. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Northwest Atlantic DataCite Metadata Store (German National Library of Science and Technology) Pacific |
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DataCite Metadata Store (German National Library of Science and Technology) |
op_collection_id |
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language |
unknown |
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59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified FOS Earth and related environmental sciences Ecology FOS Biological sciences 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Marine Biology Inorganic Chemistry FOS Chemical sciences |
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59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified FOS Earth and related environmental sciences Ecology FOS Biological sciences 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Marine Biology Inorganic Chemistry FOS Chemical sciences Lalire, Maxime Gaspar, Philippe Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean |
topic_facet |
59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified FOS Earth and related environmental sciences Ecology FOS Biological sciences 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Marine Biology Inorganic Chemistry FOS Chemical sciences |
description |
Abstract Background The Northwest Atlantic (NWA) leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) subpopulation is one of the last healthy ones on Earth. Its conservation is thus of major importance for the conservation of the species itself. While adults are relatively well monitored, pelagic juveniles remain largely unobserved. In an attempt to reduce this knowledge gap, this paper presents the first detailed simulation of the open ocean dispersal of juveniles born on the main nesting beaches of French Guiana and Suriname (FGS). Methods Dispersal is simulated using STAMM, an Individual Based Model in which juveniles actively disperse under the combined effects of oceanic currents and habitat-driven movements. For comparison purposes, passive dispersal under the sole effect of oceanic currents is also simulated. Results Simulation results show that oceanic currents lead juveniles to cross the Atlantic at mid-latitudes. Unlike passive individuals, active juveniles undertake important north-south seasonal migrations while crossing the North Atlantic. They finally reach the European or North African coast and enter the Mediterranean Sea. Less than 4-year-old active turtles first arrive off Mauritania. Other productive areas on the eastern side of the Atlantic (the coast of Galicia and Portugal, the Gulf of Cadiz, the Bay of Biscay) and in the Mediterranean Sea are first reached by 6 to 9-year-old individuals. This active dispersal scheme, and its timing, appear to be consistent with all available stranding and bycatch data gathered on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe and North Africa. Simulation results also suggest that the timing of the dispersal and the quality of the habitats encountered by juveniles can, at least partly, explain why the NWA leatherback subpopulation is doing much better than the West Pacific one. Conclusion This paper provides the first detailed simulation of the spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile leatherback turtles dispersing from their FGS nesting beaches into the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Simulation results, corroborated by stranding and bycatch data, pinpoint several important developmental areas on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. These results shall help focus observation and conservation efforts in these critical areas. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lalire, Maxime Gaspar, Philippe |
author_facet |
Lalire, Maxime Gaspar, Philippe |
author_sort |
Lalire, Maxime |
title |
Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_short |
Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full |
Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_sort |
modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the north atlantic ocean |
publisher |
Figshare |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4419278 https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/Modeling_the_active_dispersal_of_juvenile_leatherback_turtles_in_the_North_Atlantic_Ocean/4419278 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
North Atlantic Northwest Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Northwest Atlantic |
op_relation |
https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40462-019-0149-5 |
op_rights |
CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4419278 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-019-0149-5 |
_version_ |
1766128310525362176 |