Sand and nest temperatures and an estimate of hatchling sex ratio from the Heron Island green turtle (Chelonia mydas) rookery, Southern Great Barrier Reef


Autoria(s): Booth, D. T.; Freeman, C.
Data(s)

01/01/2006

Resumo

Sand and nest temperatures were monitored during the 2002-2003 nesting season of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Sand temperatures increased from similar to 24 degrees C early in the season to 27-29 degrees C in the middle, before decreasing again. Beach orientation affected sand temperature at nest depth throughout the season; the north facing beach remained 0.7 degrees C warmer than the east, which was 0.9 degrees C warmer than the south, but monitored nest temperatures were similar across all beaches. Sand temperature at 100 cm depth was cooler than at 40 cm early in the season, but this reversed at the end. Nest temperatures increased 2-4 degrees C above sand temperatures during the later half of incubation due to metabolic heating. Hatchling sex ratio inferred from nest temperature profiles indicated a strong female bias.

Identificador

http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:81491

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

Springer

Palavras-Chave #Sea Turtle #Incubation #Temperature Dependent Sex Determination #Great Barrier Reef #Tsd #Marine & Freshwater Biology #Beach #C1 #270702 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) #770302 Living resources (incl. impacts of fishing on non-target species)
Tipo

Journal Article