Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2021
The influence of environmental conditions during sea turtle egg development makes the ongoing thr... more The influence of environmental conditions during sea turtle egg development makes the ongoing threat of climate change particularly concerning. The nest environment greatly influences several aspects of sea turtle hatchling biology, including developmental rate and sexual differentiation. Various studies examine the effectiveness of watering nests as a mitigation strategy for high temperatures and dry conditions but few have rigorously identified the impacts across multiple nesting seasons and weather conditions. This study experimentally examined the impact of increased moisture on loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchling sex ratios and hatching success across three nesting seasons. Supplemental water was added to experimental treatments while control treatments received only ambient water as rainfall. Sand moisture and nest temperature were measured throughout incubation. Overall, watering nests lowered nest temperatures and increased nest sand moisture. Watered nests had sig...
ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended an... more ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including rainfall, sun/shade and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatch and emergence success, and embryonic sex. We documented (1) rainfall and sand temperature relationships and (2) rainfall, nest temperatures and hatchling sex ratios at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, across the 2010 to 2013 nesting seasons. Rainfall data collected concurrently with sand temperatures at different depths showed that light rainfall affected surface sand; effects of the heaviest rainfall events tended to lower sand temperatures but the temperature fluctuations were small once upper nest depths were reached. This is important in understanding the potential impacts of rainfall as a modifier of nest temperatures, as such changes can be quite small. Nest temperature profiles were synchronized with rainfall data from weather services to identify relationships with hatchling sex ratios. The sex of each turtle was verified laparoscopically to provide empirical measures of sex ratio for the nest and nesting beach. The majority of hatchlings in the samples were female, suggesting that across the 4 seasons most nest temperatures were not sufficiently cool to produce males. However, in the early portion of the nesting season and in wet years, nest temperatures were cooler, and significantly more males hatched.
ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended
an... more ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including rainfall, sun/shade and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatch and emergence success, and embryonic sex. We documented (1) rainfall and sand temperature relationships and (2) rainfall, nest temperatures and hatchling sex ratios at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, across the 2010 to 2013 nesting seasons. Rainfall data collected concurrently with sand temperatures at different depths showed that light rainfall affected surface sand; effects of the heaviest rainfall events tended to lower sand temperatures but the temperature fluctuations were small once upper nest depths were reached. This is important in understanding the potential impacts of rainfall as a modifier of nest temperatures, as such changes can be quite small. Nest temperature profiles were synchronized with rainfall data from weather services to identify relationships with hatchling sex ratios. The sex of each turtle was verified laparoscopically to provide empirical measures of sex ratio for the nest and nesting beach. The majority of hatchlings in the samples were female, suggesting that across the 4 seasons most nest temperatures were not sufficiently cool to produce males. However, in the early portion of the nesting season and in wet years, nest temperatures were cooler, and significantly more males hatched.
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2021
The influence of environmental conditions during sea turtle egg development makes the ongoing thr... more The influence of environmental conditions during sea turtle egg development makes the ongoing threat of climate change particularly concerning. The nest environment greatly influences several aspects of sea turtle hatchling biology, including developmental rate and sexual differentiation. Various studies examine the effectiveness of watering nests as a mitigation strategy for high temperatures and dry conditions but few have rigorously identified the impacts across multiple nesting seasons and weather conditions. This study experimentally examined the impact of increased moisture on loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchling sex ratios and hatching success across three nesting seasons. Supplemental water was added to experimental treatments while control treatments received only ambient water as rainfall. Sand moisture and nest temperature were measured throughout incubation. Overall, watering nests lowered nest temperatures and increased nest sand moisture. Watered nests had sig...
ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended an... more ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including rainfall, sun/shade and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatch and emergence success, and embryonic sex. We documented (1) rainfall and sand temperature relationships and (2) rainfall, nest temperatures and hatchling sex ratios at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, across the 2010 to 2013 nesting seasons. Rainfall data collected concurrently with sand temperatures at different depths showed that light rainfall affected surface sand; effects of the heaviest rainfall events tended to lower sand temperatures but the temperature fluctuations were small once upper nest depths were reached. This is important in understanding the potential impacts of rainfall as a modifier of nest temperatures, as such changes can be quite small. Nest temperature profiles were synchronized with rainfall data from weather services to identify relationships with hatchling sex ratios. The sex of each turtle was verified laparoscopically to provide empirical measures of sex ratio for the nest and nesting beach. The majority of hatchlings in the samples were female, suggesting that across the 4 seasons most nest temperatures were not sufficiently cool to produce males. However, in the early portion of the nesting season and in wet years, nest temperatures were cooler, and significantly more males hatched.
ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended
an... more ABSTRACT: Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including rainfall, sun/shade and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatch and emergence success, and embryonic sex. We documented (1) rainfall and sand temperature relationships and (2) rainfall, nest temperatures and hatchling sex ratios at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, across the 2010 to 2013 nesting seasons. Rainfall data collected concurrently with sand temperatures at different depths showed that light rainfall affected surface sand; effects of the heaviest rainfall events tended to lower sand temperatures but the temperature fluctuations were small once upper nest depths were reached. This is important in understanding the potential impacts of rainfall as a modifier of nest temperatures, as such changes can be quite small. Nest temperature profiles were synchronized with rainfall data from weather services to identify relationships with hatchling sex ratios. The sex of each turtle was verified laparoscopically to provide empirical measures of sex ratio for the nest and nesting beach. The majority of hatchlings in the samples were female, suggesting that across the 4 seasons most nest temperatures were not sufficiently cool to produce males. However, in the early portion of the nesting season and in wet years, nest temperatures were cooler, and significantly more males hatched.
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Papers by Alexandra Lolavar
and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including
rainfall, sun/shade and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatch and emergence success,
and embryonic sex. We documented (1) rainfall and sand temperature relationships and (2) rainfall,
nest temperatures and hatchling sex ratios at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting beach in
Boca Raton, Florida, USA, across the 2010 to 2013 nesting seasons. Rainfall data collected concurrently
with sand temperatures at different depths showed that light rainfall affected surface sand;
effects of the heaviest rainfall events tended to lower sand temperatures but the temperature fluctuations
were small once upper nest depths were reached. This is important in understanding the potential
impacts of rainfall as a modifier of nest temperatures, as such changes can be quite small.
Nest temperature profiles were synchronized with rainfall data from weather services to identify relationships
with hatchling sex ratios. The sex of each turtle was verified laparoscopically to provide
empirical measures of sex ratio for the nest and nesting beach. The majority of hatchlings in the
samples were female, suggesting that across the 4 seasons most nest temperatures were not sufficiently
cool to produce males. However, in the early portion of the nesting season and in wet years,
nest temperatures were cooler, and significantly more males hatched.
and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including
rainfall, sun/shade and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatch and emergence success,
and embryonic sex. We documented (1) rainfall and sand temperature relationships and (2) rainfall,
nest temperatures and hatchling sex ratios at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting beach in
Boca Raton, Florida, USA, across the 2010 to 2013 nesting seasons. Rainfall data collected concurrently
with sand temperatures at different depths showed that light rainfall affected surface sand;
effects of the heaviest rainfall events tended to lower sand temperatures but the temperature fluctuations
were small once upper nest depths were reached. This is important in understanding the potential
impacts of rainfall as a modifier of nest temperatures, as such changes can be quite small.
Nest temperature profiles were synchronized with rainfall data from weather services to identify relationships
with hatchling sex ratios. The sex of each turtle was verified laparoscopically to provide
empirical measures of sex ratio for the nest and nesting beach. The majority of hatchlings in the
samples were female, suggesting that across the 4 seasons most nest temperatures were not sufficiently
cool to produce males. However, in the early portion of the nesting season and in wet years,
nest temperatures were cooler, and significantly more males hatched.