| Title: | Dispersal and Diving Adjustments of the Green Turtle Chelonia mydas in Response to Dynamic Environmental Conditions during Post-Nesting Migration |
| Author(s): | Chambault P; Pinaud D; Vantrepotte V; Kelle L; Entraygues M; Guinet C; Berzins R; Bilo K; Gaspar P; de Thoisy B; Le Maho Y; Chevallier D; |
| Address: | "Universite de Strasbourg, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, 23 rue Becquerel, F-67087 Strasbourg cedex 2, France; CNRS, UMR 7178, 23 rue Becquerel, F-67087 Strasbourg cedex 2, France. Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chize, UMR 7372 CNRS-Universite de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France. Laboratoire d'Oceanologie et de Geosciences, UMR 8187 CNRS, 28 avenue Foch, BP 80 62930 Wimereux, France; CNRS Guyane, USR 3456, av. Charlery, 97300 Cayenne, France. WWF Guyane, N degrees 5 Lotissement Katoury, F-97300 Cayenne, France. Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage-Cellule technique Guyane, Campus agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou cedex, France. WWF Guianas, Henck Arronstraat 63, Paramaribo, Suriname. Collecte Localisation Satellites, Direction Oceanographie Spatiale, 8-10 rue Hermes, 31520 Ramonville, France. Association Kwata, 16 avenue Pasteur, BP 672, F-97335 Cayenne cedex, France" |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0137340 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "In response to seasonality and spatial segregation of resources, sea turtles undertake long journeys between their nesting sites and foraging grounds. While satellite tracking has made it possible to outline their migration routes, we still have little knowledge of how they select their foraging grounds and adapt their migration to dynamic environmental conditions. Here, we analyzed the trajectories and diving behavior of 19 adult green turtles (Chelonia mydas) during their post-nesting migration from French Guiana and Suriname to their foraging grounds off the coast of Brazil. First Passage Time analysis was used to identify foraging areas located off Ceara state of Brazil, where the associated habitat corresponds to favorable conditions for seagrass growth, i.e. clear and shallow waters. The dispersal and diving patterns of the turtles revealed several behavioral adaptations to the strong hydrodynamic processes induced by both the North Brazil current and the Amazon River plume. All green turtles migrated south-eastward after the nesting season, confirming that they coped with the strong counter North Brazil current by using a tight corridor close to the shore. The time spent within the Amazon plume also altered the location of their feeding habitats as the longer individuals stayed within the plume, the sooner they initiated foraging. The green turtles performed deeper and shorter dives while crossing the mouth of the Amazon, a strategy which would help turtles avoid the most turbulent upper surface layers of the plume. These adjustments reveal the remarkable plasticity of this green turtle population when reducing energy costs induced by migration" |
| Keywords: | *Animal Migration Animals Atlantic Ocean Diving Ecosystem Female Herbivory Hydrodynamics Nesting Behavior Rivers Turtles/*physiology; |
| Notes: | "MedlineChambault, Philippine Pinaud, David Vantrepotte, Vincent Kelle, Laurent Entraygues, Mathieu Guinet, Christophe Berzins, Rachel Bilo, Karin Gaspar, Philippe de Thoisy, Benoit Le Maho, Yvon Chevallier, Damien eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2015/09/24 PLoS One. 2015 Sep 23; 10(9):e0137340. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137340. eCollection 2015" |
