Small satellite-tracking devices attached to sea turtles swimming off Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 coast have delivered first-of-its-kind data that could help unlock the mystery of what endangered turtles do during the 麻豆精品 S渓ost years. 麻豆精品 S�
The 麻豆精品 S渓ost years 麻豆精品 S� refers to the time after turtles hatch and head to sea where they remain for many years before returning to near-shore waters as large juveniles. The time period is often referred to as the 麻豆精品 S渓ost years 麻豆精品 S� because not much has been known about where the young turtles go and how they interact with their oceanic environment — until now.
麻豆精品 S淲hat is exciting is that we provide the first look at the early behavior and movements of young sea turtles in the wild, 麻豆精品 S� said UCF biologist Kate Mansfield, who led the team. 麻豆精品 S淏efore this study, most of the scientific information about the early life history of sea turtles was inferred through genetics studies, opportunistic sightings offshore, or laboratory-based studies. With real observations of turtles in their natural environment, we are able to examine and reevaluate existing hypotheses about the turtles 麻豆精品 S� early life history. This knowledge may help managers provide better protection for these threatened and endangered species. 麻豆精品 S�
Findings from the study appear today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
A team of scientists from UCF, Florida Atlantic University, University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and University of Wisconsin tracked 17 loggerhead turtles for 27 to 220 days in the open ocean using small, solar-powered satellite tags. The goal was to better understand the turtles 麻豆精品 S� movements, habitat preferences and what role temperature may play in early sea turtle life history.
Some of the findings challenge previously held beliefs.
While the turtles remain in oceanic waters (traveling between 124 miles to 2,672 miles) off the continental shelf and the loggerhead turtles sought the surface of the water as predicted, the study found that the turtles do not necessarily remain within the currents associated with the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. It was historically thought that loggerhead turtles hatching from Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 east coast complete a long, developmental migration in a large circle around the Atlantic entrained in these currents. But the team 麻豆精品 S檚 data suggest that turtles may drop out of these currents into the middle of the Atlantic or the Sargasso Sea.
The team also found that while the turtles mostly stayed at the sea surface, where they were exposed to the sun 麻豆精品 S檚 energy, the turtles 麻豆精品 S� shells registered more heat than anticipated (as recorded by sensors in the satellite tags), leading the team to consider a new hypothesis about why the turtles seek refuge in Sargassum. It is a type of seaweed found on the surface of the water in the deep ocean long associated with young sea turtles.
麻豆精品 S淲e propose that young turtles remain at the sea surface to gain a thermal benefit, 麻豆精品 S� Mansfield said. 麻豆精品 S淭his makes sense because the turtles are cold blooded animals. By remaining at the sea surface, and by associating with Sargassum habitat, turtles gain a thermal refuge of sorts that may help enhance growth and feeding rates, among other physiological benefits. 麻豆精品 S�
More research will be needed, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 a start at cracking the 麻豆精品 S渓ost years 麻豆精品 S� mystery.
The findings are important because the loggerhead turtles, along with other sea turtles, are threatened or endangered species. Florida beaches are important to their survival because they provide important nesting grounds in North America. More than 80 percent of Atlantic loggerheads nest along Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 coast. There are other important nesting grounds and nursing areas for sea turtles in the western hemisphere found from as far north as Virginia to South America and the Caribbean.
麻豆精品 S淔rom the time they leave our shores, we don 麻豆精品 S檛 hear anything about them until they surface near the Canary Islands, which is like their primary school years, 麻豆精品 S� said Florida Atlantic University professor Jeannette Wyneken, the study 麻豆精品 S檚 co-leader and author. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a whole lot that happens during the Atlantic crossing that we knew nothing about. Our work helps to redefine Atlantic loggerhead nursery grounds and early loggerhead habitat use. 麻豆精品 S�
Mansfield joined UCF in 2013. She has a Ph.D. from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami. She previously worked at Florida International University, through the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) in association with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Services. She was a National Academies NRC postdoctoral associate based at NOAA 麻豆精品 S檚 Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and remains an affiliate faculty in Florida Atlantic University 麻豆精品 S檚 biology department where Wyneken is based.
With colleagues at each institution, Mansfield conducted research that has helped further the understanding of the sea turtle 麻豆精品 S渓ost years 麻豆精品 S� and sea turtle life history as a whole. For example, she and Wyneken developed a satellite tagging method using a non-toxic manicure acrylic, old wetsuits and hair-extension glue to attach satellite tags to small turtles. Tagging small turtles is very difficult by traditional means because of their small size and how fast they grow.
Mansfield is currently working under grants from NOAA and the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate fund to conduct work on the sea turtle 麻豆精品 S渓ost years. 麻豆精品 S� #UCFTurtles, @UCFTurtleLab
Other members on the team are: Wyneken, Warren P. Porter from the University of Wisconsin and Jiangang Luo from the University of Miami.