Ecological drivers of the high predation of sea turtle hatchlings during emergence
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F21%3A10431216" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/21:10431216 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=zxn1mNPpm0" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=zxn1mNPpm0</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13751" target="_blank" >10.3354/meps13751</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Ecological drivers of the high predation of sea turtle hatchlings during emergence
Original language description
Synchronized emergence of offspring may represent an adaptive strategy to reduce predation risk. This strategy swamps the short-term capacity of predators to consume prey before offspring disperse, inducing a dilution effect, thus improving an individual's chance of survival. In the case of sea turtles, this occurs during emergence and mass migration to the sea, to avoid potential predators on the beach. In this study, we evaluated the effect of group size on predation rates of loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta hatchlings during the crawl to the sea on Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde. Our results show that synchronous emergence reduced rates of predation by tufted ghost crabs Ocypode cursor. The mean estimated predation rate overall was 50.3%. Predation was highest (similar to 75%) in the smallest group sizes and decreased to similar to 25% in larger groups, due to the lower probability of an individual being attacked by a ghost crab. Our observations also indicate significantly higher predation rates at night (55%) than during the day (22%). No relationship between predation rates and the distance between the nest and the surf zone of the sea was identified; however, this is likely due to the behaviour of ghost crabs, i.e. waiting close to the tide line for hatchlings during the night. Our results provide important information for the management and conservation of endangered sea turtle populations in areas with high densities of predatory ghost crabs. Specifically, to reduce predation rates, we recommend that hatchlings are released in large groups at twilight hours and in areas of low ghost crab densities.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10618 - Ecology
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2021
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Marine Ecology - Progress Series
ISSN
0171-8630
e-ISSN
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Volume of the periodical
668
Issue of the periodical within the volume
June 2021
Country of publishing house
DE - GERMANY
Number of pages
10
Pages from-to
97-106
UT code for WoS article
000670332700007
EID of the result in the Scopus database
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