Meeting Abstract
P3.20 Tuesday, Jan. 6 Developing a Comprehensive Long-term Database on Nesting Beach Temperatures of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle in the Southeastern U.S: Applications and Implications for Global Climate Change ESTES LAYTON , J.**; WIBBELS, T.; TUCKER, T.; WYNEKEN, J.; EHRHART, L.; CARTHY, R.; MARTIN, E.R.; ERNEST, R.; BRESETT, M.; JOHNSON, C.; FOURNIER, S.; SCHMID, J.; Univ.of Alabama Birmingham; Univ.of Alabama Birmingham; Mote Marine Laboratory; Florida Atlantic Univ.; Univ.of Central Florida; Univ.of Florida ; Ecological Associates ; Ecological Associates ; Quantum Resources ; Loggerhead Marinelife Center ; Loggerhead Marinelife Center ; Florida DEP jestes@uab.edu
One of the worlds largest loggerhead populations nests in the southeastern United States. Loggerheads have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) which has implications for their ecology and conservation. The IPCC indicates that global surface temperature has significantly increased during the last century, and the impact on species with TSD is uncertain. The current study is a long-term evaluation of nesting beach temperatures throughout the range of loggerheads in the southeastern U.S. During the last five years beach temperatures were simultaneously examined from South Carolina to Alabama (including 23 nesting beaches in Florida) using data loggers buried at mid-nest depth (40 cm). The results reveal the range of beach temperatures throughout the population and provide insight on hatchling sex ratios. Overall beach temperatures suggested female-biased sex ratios. The temperature data were examined relative to previously published data on the pivotal temperature and transitional range of temperatures (TRT) for loggerheads. The results suggest many beach temperatures are above the pivotal temperature and some are near the upper limit of the TRT. Although loggerheads may be able to adapt behaviorally or physiologically to increased environmental temperatures, future increases in nesting beach temperatures could result in extreme female biases. (This research was supported by the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grant Program)
