Ecological drivers of the high predation of sea turtle hatchlings during emergence

Kód výsledku v 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>

Výsledek na webu

<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>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Ecological drivers of the high predation of sea turtle hatchlings during emergence

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

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&apos;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.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Ecological drivers of the high predation of sea turtle hatchlings during emergence

Popis výsledku anglicky

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&apos;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.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

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OECD FORD obor

10618 - Ecology

Projekt

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Návaznosti

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2021

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Marine Ecology - Progress Series

ISSN

0171-8630

e-ISSN

—

Svazek periodika

668

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

June 2021

Stát vydavatele periodika

DE - Spolková republika Německo

Počet stran výsledku

10

Strana od-do

97-106

Kód UT WoS článku

000670332700007

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

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