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Microhabitat selection by sea turtles in a dynamic thermal marine environment

  1. Gail Schofield1,2,3,
  2. Charles M. Bishop4,
  3. Kostas A. Katselidis1,2,
  4. Panayotis Dimopoulos1,
  5. John D. Pantis5,
  6. Graeme C. Hays3,*

Article first published online: 11 AUG 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01454.x

Issue

Journal of Animal Ecology

Journal of Animal Ecology

Volume 78, Issue 1, pages 14–21, January 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Schofield, G., Bishop, C. M., Katselidis, K. A., Dimopoulos, P., Pantis, J. D. and Hays, G. C. (2009), Microhabitat selection by sea turtles in a dynamic thermal marine environment. Journal of Animal Ecology, 78: 14–21. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01454.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, G. Seferi 2, GR-30100 Agrinio, Greece;

  2. 2

    National Marine Park of Zakynthos, 1 El. Venizelou Str., GR-29100 Zakynthos, Greece;

  3. 3

    Institute of Environmental Sustainability, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK;

  4. 4

    School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Bangor, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK; and

  5. 5

    School of Biology, UP Box 119, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece

* Correspondence author. E-mail: g.hays@swan.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 11 DEC 2008
  2. Article first published online: 11 AUG 2008
  3. Received 7 November 2007; accepted 25 June 2008; Handling Editor: David Sims

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Keywords:

  • climate change;
  • distribution;
  • ectotherm;
  • micro-habitat;
  • remote technology

Summary

  • 1
    Reproductive fitness is often compromised at the margins of a species’ range due to sub-optimal conditions.
  • 2
    Set against this backdrop, the Mediterranean's largest loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) rookery at Zakynthos (Greece) presents a conundrum, being at a very high latitude for this species, yet hosting a high concentration of nesting.
  • 3
    We used visual surveys combined with global positioning system (GPS) tracking to show that at the start of the breeding season, individuals showed microhabitat selection, with females residing in transient patches of warm water. As the sea warmed in the summer, this selection was no longer evident.
  • 4
    As loggerhead turtles are ectothermic, this early season warm-water selection presumably speeds up egg maturation rates before oviposition, thereby allowing more clutches to be incubated when sand conditions are optimal during the summer.
  • 5
    Active selection of warm waters may allow turtles to initiate nesting at an earlier date.
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