Meeting Abstract

1.6  Friday, Jan. 4  Seas of Sand, From Desert to Beach: Sand as a Nesting Habitat for Fish, Turtles, and Tortoises MARTIN, K.L.; Pepperdine Univ. kmartin@pepperdine.edu

Deserts and beaches are both characterized by sandy substrates, abundant sunshine, minimal fresh water, and desiccating terrestrial conditions. Surface substrates in these highly variable habitats experience rapid diurnal changes in temperatures, a propensity for wind transport, and a dearth of attached plants. In spite of the harsh physical conditions, beaches and deserts both support diverse forms of vertebrate life at all stages of growth and development. In these highly variable ecosystems, nesting within or beneath the surface of the substrate of beach or desert sand may provide the embryos with protection, thermal stability, and other potentially beneficial conditions. However, survival is constrained by temperature-driven sex determination, and threats such as vulnerability to predators, desiccation, pathogens, and the potential for flooding and oxygen deficit. Some ecological advantages and consequences of egg burial in beaches and desert sand will be compared for example species of marine fish, sea turtles, and desert tortoises.