Article
Ecology
F. O. H. Smulders, E. S. Bakker, O. R. O'Shea, J. E. Campbell, O. K. Rhoades, M. J. A. Christianen
Summary: Understanding how herbivores shape the landscape is important and studying how they incorporate habitat features into their foraging behavior is crucial. However, there is limited knowledge about the influence of habitat structure on megaherbivore grazing in marine ecosystems. In this study, we introduced artificial structures at different scales in a seagrass meadow to investigate the response of green turtles. The results showed that the turtles significantly increased in density and mainly grazed and rested in the areas with structures, resulting in changes in seagrass bed structure and heterogeneity at the landscape scale.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chiyo Kitayama, Keiichi Ueda, Mariko Omata, Taketeru Tomita, Shingo Fukada, Shogo Murakami, Yoshiaki Tanaka, Akihiro Kaji, Satomi Kondo, Hiroyuki Suganuma, Yuki Aiko, Atsuru Fujimoto, Yusuke K. Kawai, Masashi Yanagawa, Daisuke Kondoh
Summary: The nasal cavities of hawksbill, olive ridley and black sea turtles share similar structures, but differ from leatherback sea turtles. The structural features of the nasal cavity of leatherback sea turtles may help suppress heat dissipation and reduce water pressure in cold and deep waters.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lynn M. Massey, Shannon Penna, Eric Zahn, Dan Lawson, Cassandra M. Davis
Summary: The East Pacific population of green sea turtles has been growing, leading to more sightings along the U.S. West Coast. Through citizen science data, it has been found that the green sea turtles reside near the San Gabriel River in California and are attracted to areas near wetlands and a power plant warm water effluent area for foraging and thermal refuge. Monitoring programs and understanding habitat needs are recommended to conserve this threatened population. Citizen science has proven beneficial in monitoring sea turtle populations in accessible habitats.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ming-An Tsai, Chao-Chin Chang, Tsung-Hsien Li
Summary: The study revealed high levels of antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacterial isolates from wild green turtles in Taiwan, with Vibrio spp. being the most dominant isolate. The resistant bacteria showed resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents, with penicillin being the most resistant. Future research should focus on preventing antimicrobial pollution in green turtle habitats and identifying sources of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in coastal waters of Taiwan.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Grace E. Perkins, Kimberly A. Finlayson, Jason P. van de Merwe
Summary: Green turtles foraging in coastal areas may be exposed to land-based chemical pollutants, leading to chemical accumulation and increased toxicity. The development of in vitro bioassays allows for the assessment of toxicological endpoints in marine turtles, and results suggest that coastal residents are more susceptible to chemical exposure and toxicity than recent recruits at the two study sites.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Sukran Yalcin Ozdilek, Bektas Sonmez, Burcu Mestav
Summary: This study evaluated the foraging ecology of green turtles in the Mediterranean using stable isotope signatures and body size. It found that the green turtles nesting in the Eastern Mediterranean have two distinct foraging habitats, with larger females belonging to a generalist/specialist feeding strategy. Further studies are needed to identify the foraging areas of green turtles in the Mediterranean for effective conservation actions.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daphne de Albuquerque Bruno, Isabel Q. Willmer, Lucia Helena S. de S. Pereira, Rafael C. C. Rocha, Tatiana D. Saint'Pierre, Paula Baldassin, Ana Carolina S. Scarelli, Amanda Dias Tadeu, Fabio V. Correia, Enrico M. Saggioro, Leila S. Lemos, Salvatore Siciliano, Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
Summary: The study analyzed the concentrations of 12 elements in kidney and muscle samples from 24 green sea turtles found stranded in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, and evaluated the presence of fibropapillomatosis. It was found that most elements were significantly higher in the liver, while aluminum and arsenic concentrations were significantly higher in muscle tissue, indicating bioaccumulation of these elements. Further evaluations on other toxic compounds and deleterious cellular effects are currently underway.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathiani Victor Bastos, Levi Pompermayer Machado, Jean-Christophe Joyeux, Juliana Santos Ferreira, Frederico Pacheco Militao, Valeria de Oliveira Fernandes, Robson Guimaraes Santos
Summary: This study evaluated the influence of environmental degradation on the nutritional value of marine macrophytes consumed by green sea turtles. The findings suggest that urbanization negatively affects the diversity and chemical composition of marine plants, which in turn affects the health of green turtles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lyndsey N. Howell, Donna J. Shaver
Summary: The study conducted a comprehensive long-term assessment of green turtle diets from carcasses salvaged along the Texas coast from 1987 to 2014. It was found that smaller green turtles primarily feed on macroalgae while larger individuals mainly consume inshore seagrasses, with animal matter also being frequently ingested. The recovering green turtle assemblage in Texas is showing foraging plasticity within seagrass meadows, adapting to changing species composition and density.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ahmed M. Al-Mansi, Anas Z. Sambas, Baleegh A. Abukaboos, Ahmed H. Al Zahrani, Ahmed S. Abdulaziz, Ali A. Almasabi, Raed S. Alkreda, Jeff Miller
Summary: This study tracked the migratory routes of 16 female green turtles from their nesting site in Ras Baridi, Saudi Arabia to foraging areas in the Red Sea, with most turtles choosing to forage in shallow coastal waters or around offshore islands. The turtles traveled between 130 and 1749 km to reach foraging areas in northern, middle, and southern parts of the Red Sea, highlighting the need for multinational cooperation in conservation and management efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Karoline Fernanda Ferreira Agostinho, Inacio Abreu Pestana, Carlos Eduardo Veiga de Carvalho, Ana Paula Madeira Di Beneditto
Summary: The study examined trace elements and stable isotopes in egg yolk samples of female green turtles nesting in Rocas Atoll, Brazil in 2017 and 2018. Variations in trace element concentrations between years and high isotopic overlap were observed, indicating the turtles may come from different foraging sites. The Normalized Total Load showed low association with stable isotopes, suggesting a holistic approach for predicting ecotoxicology pathways in animal species.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Cheryl L. Sanchez, Nancy Bunbury, Jeanne A. Mortimer, Luke A'Bear, Michael Betts, Rainer von Brandis, April J. Burt, Lorraine Cooke, Janske van de Crommenacker, Jock C. Currie, Naomi Doak, Frauke Fleischer-Dogley, Emma Mederic, Bruno Mels, Pierre Pistorius, Heather Richards, Paolo Casale
Summary: Changes in marine ecosystems from human stressors have raised concerns about how species, particularly long-lived, migratory marine vertebrates like sea turtles, will respond to these changes. This study analyzed a 40-year dataset from Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, to estimate key population parameters, including body growth, for immature green and hawksbill turtles. The study found that the curved carapace length ranged from 34.3-110.9 cm for green turtles and 28.7-89.4 cm for hawksbill turtles. The annual growth rate was 3.2 cm for green turtles and 2.8 cm for hawksbill turtles. The growth rate varied for hawksbill turtles and there was no significant growth-size relationship for green turtles. The study also revealed that green turtles may spend more than 8 years and hawksbill turtles may spend more than 18 years using Aldabra as a foraging ground.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Margaret M. Lamont, Allison M. Benscoter, Kristen M. Hart
Summary: Globally, Marine Protected Areas play a crucial role in conserving large marine vertebrates. A recent study conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico revealed the migration and foraging patterns of green turtles using satellite tagging technology. The findings indicated that certain key sites outside of protected areas, such as Cape Sable in Florida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, are important for the conservation and identification of critical habitat for nesting green turtles.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yasmina Rodriguez, Frederic Vandeperre, Marco R. Santos, Laura Herrera, Hugo Parra, Ashok Deshpande, Karen A. Bjorndal, Christopher K. Pham
Summary: This study analyzed stranding events of juvenile green turtles found in the Azores archipelago and investigated their interactions with marine litter. The results showed that 14% of the stranded turtles were entangled in marine litter, and 86% had ingested plastic. The most common litter items ingested were hard plastic fragments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Joao Paulo Felix Augusto de Almeida, Robson Guimaraes dos Santos, Tami Mott
Summary: The potential effects of climate change on living species, particularly those with temperature-dependent sex determination, are widely debated. This study evaluated the temporal variation in sex ratios of green turtles in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean and found a female-skewed population trend. Additionally, the study identified different natal origins for female and male green turtles in the region, with Ascension Island being the main source of females and Guinea Bissau being the main source of males.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Philippine Chambault, Mayeul Dalleau, Jean-Benoit Nicet, Pascal Mouquet, Katia Ballorain, Claire Jean, Stephane Ciccione, Jerome Bourjea
Article
Oceanography
Zahirah Dhurmeea, Heidi Pethybridge, Clothilde Langlais, Christopher J. Somes, Natacha Nikolic, Jerome Bourjea, Chandani Appadoo, Nathalie Bodin
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natacha Nikolic, Iratxe Montes, Maxime Lalire, Alexis Puech, Nathalie Bodin, Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Sven Kerwath, Emmanuel Corse, Philippe Gaspar, Stephanie Hollanda, Jerome Bourjea, Wendy West, Sylvain Bonhommeau
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Fisheries
Mouniboudine Hachim, Tristan Rouyer, Gilbert Dutto, Vincent Kerzerho, Serge Bernard, Jerome Bourjea, David J. McKenzie
Summary: The study found that in gilthead seabream as swimming speed increased, changes in oxygen uptake were closely related to changes in heart rate, with an asymptote in oxygen uptake and heart rate at high speeds reflecting a transition in muscle usage.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Marion Richard, Fabien Forget, Alexandre Mignucci, Serge Mortreux, Patrik Le Gall, Myriam D. Callier, Andrea M. Weise, Christopher W. McKindsey, Jerome Bourjea
AQUACULTURE ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Philippine Chambault, Tarek Hattab, Pascal Mouquet, Touria Bajjouk, Claire Jean, Katia Ballorain, Stephane Ciccione, Mayeul Dalleau, Jerome Bourjea
Summary: This study proposes an innovative five-step framework to predict the potential and individual-level distributions of mobile species by combining traditional SDM approaches with individual approaches using mixed models. Both methods showed strong predictive power and goodness-of-fit, but differed geographically in the distribution of favorable habitats.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tomoko Narazaki, Itsumi Nakamura, Kagari Aoki, Takashi Iwata, Kozue Shiomi, Paolo Luschi, Hiroyuki Suganuma, Carl G. Meyer, Rui Matsumoto, Charles A. Bost, Yves Handrich, Masao Amano, Ryosuke Okamoto, Kyoichi Mori, Stephane Ciccione, Jerome Bourjea, Katsufumi Sato
Summary: By examining the high-resolution 3D movements of various marine megafauna, researchers discovered circling behaviors that were consistently observed across different species. These behaviors, characterized by animals consecutively circling at relatively constant angular speeds, are believed to serve similar purposes such as foraging, social interactions, and navigation.
Article
Biology
Alexandre Mignucci, Jerome Bourjea, Fabien Forget, Hossein Allal, Gilbert Dutto, Eric Gasset, David J. McKenzie
Summary: The study found that cardiac responses of gilthead seabream to hypoxia and warming differed between swimming freely in a tank and being confined to individual respirometers, with spontaneous activity contributing to heart rate differences. Additionally, there was a significant linear relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake rates, suggesting that respirometry techniques may bias metabolic trait estimates in some fishes.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Conan Antonin, Jumeau Jonathan, Dehaut Nathan, Enstipp Manfred, Georges Jean-Yves, Handrich Yves
Summary: This study investigated the suitability of stormwater ponds as habitats for European green frogs in Alsace, NE France, finding that juveniles had a lower body condition in stormwater ponds while adults were larger and heavier. The study suggests that stormwater ponds may not be suitable for the development of green frog juveniles but could serve as relay sites for adults in a highly modified landscape with few natural wetlands.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Theo Marchand, Anne-Sophie Le Gal, Jean-Yves Georges
Summary: In the breeding season of European pond turtles, the behavior patterns and time budgets of adult female turtles vary throughout the day, with increased activity levels before and during nesting, primarily in the evening, in relation to ambient temperature and weather conditions.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Casper H. van de Geer, Jerome Bourjea, Annette C. Broderick, Mayeul Dalleau, Raquel S. Fernandes, Linda R. Harris, Gelica E. Inteca, Fikiri K. Kiponda, Cristina M. M. Louro, Jeanne A. Mortimer, Daudi Msangameno, Lily D. Mwasi, Ronel Ner, Gladys M. Okemwa, Mike Olendo, Marcos A. M. Pereira, ALan F. Rees, Isabel Silva, Sonal Singh, Lindsey West, Jessica L. Williams, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the distribution, nesting sites, foraging areas, connectivity, and anthropogenic threats for five marine turtle species along the continental African east coast. The findings reveal a complex pattern of nesting sites, foraging areas, and migration pathways, with areas of high importance identified in all five countries. Illegal take, bycatch, and loss of habitat were identified as the most serious threats. However, significant data gaps exist, especially for Somalia. The study emphasizes the need for stronger regional collaboration and coordination to effectively address current and future challenges in turtle conservation.
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Quentin Schull, Anais Beauvieux, Vincent A. Viblanc, Luisa Metral, Lina Leclerc, Diego Romero, Fabrice Pernet, Claudie Quere, Dominique Munaron, Christopher W. McKindsey, Claire Saraux, Jerome Bourjea
Summary: By using an integrative approach, we tested the direct and indirect causal pathways through which environmental stressors affect the stress response of wild gilthead seabream in Mediterranean coastal lagoons. Our results showed that 54% of fish stress response can be explained by variables such as lagoon features, fish age, fish diet, fish reserve, fish structure, and fish contaminant load.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonathan R. Monsinjon, Antoine Laforge, Philippe Gaspar, Anne Barat, Olivier Bousquet, Stephane Ciccione, Claire Jean, Katia Ballorain, Mayeul Dalleau, Rui Coelho, Sylvain Bonhommeau, Jerome Bourjea
Summary: Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) exhibit ontogenetic shifts, using different habitats at different life stages. A study in the Indian Ocean revealed that late juvenile turtles traveled to the Northwestern Indian Ocean, predominantly using neritic habitats in the continental shelf. Three types of movements were identified, associated with traveling, wandering, and foraging behaviors. The study highlights the importance of understanding the strategies and behaviors of loggerhead turtles to protect this endangered species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Violaine Dolfo, Cecile Gaspar, Jerome Bourjea, Miri Tatarata, Serge Planes, Emilie Boissin
Summary: This study provides the first assessment of the genetic structure of green turtle populations within French Polynesia and fills an essential data gap regarding the genetic diversity of the species and its connectivity to other feeding grounds in the Pacific Ocean. The French Polynesian populations appear to be important contributors to the overall genetic diversity of the species, isolated from other Pacific populations, thus making them essential within the Pacific region. These results have important implications for the conservation of the species at both local and regional scales.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anais Beauvieux, Jean-Marc Fromentin, Diego Romero, Nathan Couffin, Adrien Brown, Luisa Metral, Jerome Bourjea, Fabrice Bertile, Quentin Schull
Summary: This study investigated the accumulation of trace element contamination in gilthead seabream juveniles and its impact on their health. The results revealed distinct contamination signatures between different coastal lagoons, which may affect the quality of nursery areas for various fish species. Using a proteomic approach, alterations in cellular and molecular responses were detected in the liver and red muscle, indicating potential adverse effects on the organisms. This study provides new insights into the effects of environmental pollution on seabreams and proposes biomarkers for trace element health effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2024)
