Phenotypically linked dichotomy in sea turtle foraging requires multiple conservation approaches

[EN] Marine turtles undergo dramatic ontogenic changes in body size and behavior, with the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, typically switching from an initial oceanic juvenile stage to one in the neritic, where maturation is reached and breeding migrations are subsequently undertaken every 2-3 years [1-3]. Using satellite tracking, we investigated the migratory movements of adult females from one of the world's largest nesting aggregations at Cape Verde, West Africa. In direct contrast with the accepted life-history model for this species [4], results reveal two distinct adult foraging strategies that appear to be linked to body size. The larger turtles (n = 3) foraged in coastal waters, whereas smaller individuals (n = 7) foraged oceanically.

Evaluation of male breeding population inferred from paternity analyses in the Cape Verde islands

[EN] Because of the extensive migrations of marine turtles through the ocean, many aspects of their biology have been unknown for a long time. However, much information has been recently gained from genetic studies and population monitoring of female turtles at their nesting sites. In contrast, still very little is known on the genetic diversity, population structure and dispersal patterns of the male breeding population, mainly because of the difficulty of capturing and monitoring them at sea. The aim of this study is to assess the genetic patterns of the male breeding population of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, using a non invasive approach and compare them to the female breeding population.

New records of the olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) from the Cape Verde Islands

[ES] The olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea has been recorded in the Cape Verde Islands, but the most recent published data (1998-2000) are of stranded ndividuals and remains only. This article presents new data on olive ridleys recorded during the years 2001-2011 on Boavista and Sal islands. The presence of his species does not appear to be related to nesting activity. The possible geographical origin of these turtles is discussed. In addition, we propose some studies that could help to reinforce the conservation of sea turtles in West Africa.

Navigating uncertain waters: a critical review of inferring foraging behaviour from location and dive data in pinnipeds

In the last thirty years, the emergence and progression of biologging technology has led to great advances in marine predator ecology. Large databases of location and dive observations from biologging devices have been compiled for an increasing number of diving predator species (such as pinnipeds, sea turtles, seabirds and cetaceans), enabling complex questions about animal activity budgets and habitat use to be addressed. Central to answering these questions is our ability to correctly identify and quantify the frequency of essential behaviours, such as foraging. Despite technological advances that have increased the quality and resolution of location and dive data, accurately interpreting behaviour from such data remains a challenge, and analytical methods are only beginning to unlock the full potential of existing datasets. This review evaluates both traditional and emerging methods and presents a starting platform of options for future studies of marine predator foraging ecology, particularly from location and two-dimensional (time-depth) dive data. We outline the different devices and data types available, discuss the limitations and advantages of commonly-used analytical techniques, and highlight key areas for future research. We focus our review on pinnipeds - one of the most studied taxa of marine predators - but offer insights that will be applicable to other air-breathing marine predator tracking studies. We highlight that traditionally-used methods for inferring foraging from location and dive data, such as first-passage time and dive shape analysis, have important caveats and limitations depending on the nature of the data and the research question. We suggest that more holistic statistical techniques, such as state-space models, which can synthesise multiple track, dive and environmental metrics whilst simultaneously accounting for measurement error, offer more robust alternatives. Finally, we identify a need for more research to elucidate the role of physical oceanography, device effects, study animal selection, and developmental stages in predator behaviour and data interpretation.

CAPRA 2015 – Reunião Nacional de Caprinicultura e Ovinicultura: livro de atas

O presente livro de atas reúne as comunicações apresentadas durante a CAPRA 2015 - Reunião Nacional de Caprinicultura e Ovinicultura, que se realizou em Mirandela de 12 a14 de novembro de 2015. A reunião Capra 2015 teve por objetivo a apresentação e debate de vários temas relativas à caprinicultura e ovinicultura, mas está orientada principalmente para as questões relativas às raças autóctones portuguesas. Estiveram presentes representantes das principais associações de criadores das raças autóctones de caprinos, tais como: Serrana, Preta de Montesinho, Bravia, Serpentina, Algarvia, Charnequeira; e da raça ovina Churra Galega Bragançana. Outro objetivo importante da Capra 2015 foi a apresentação dos trabalhos executados no âmbito do projecto da Rede Temática OVICAPRA: “Produção de ovinos e caprinos para o desenvolvimento sustentável”. Neste projeto estão envolvidas as associações das raças caprinas Serrana e Preta de Montesinho, e da raça ovina Churra Galega Bragançana. As comunicações apresentadas na Reunião Capra 2015 abordam temas relacionados com a produção de carne e de produtos cárneos; a produção de leite e lacticínios; a reprodução e o melhoramento animal; os sistemas de produção; o associativismo e a comercialização. Foram apresentadas comunicações sobre métodos e processos de seleção e melhoramento animal em pequenos ruminantes: e sobre os problemas causados por doenças parasitárias e da forma de controlar essas doenças. Foram apresentados os trabalhos e estudos já realizados, na região, no âmbito do projeto OVICAPRA, que tratam temas relacionados com o trabalho e mecanização nas explorações de pequenos ruminantes; os alojamentos, instalações e equipamentos; a comercialização dos produtos de carne e leite, e seus derivados; a sanidade dos animais; e o maneio reprodutivo nas explorações dos criadores das três raças autóctones estudadas. Os representantes e técnicos das associações de criadores das raças autóctones presentes na Reunião, fizeram a apresentação das respectivas raças; identificaram os problemas e dificuldades que enfrentam, atualmente, os criadores; e discutiram as perspetivas que se colocam para a melhoria e desenvolvimento da atividade. A presença de muitos criadores de raças autóctones permitiu a divulgação dos trabalhos realizados e um amplo debate sobre as questões tratados ao longo da Reunião Capara 2015.

Caracterização da captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas pela pesca de espinhel pelágico no Nordeste do Brasil

The marine turtles biological characteristics and the impact they have been suffering in consequence of human activities have caused in the last decades the decrease of populations to unsustainable levels. All four of the species described in this paper are registered as endangered in a list by IUCN: Caretta caretta, Lepidochelys olivacea, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea. The main causes of such impact include several fishing activities, mostly the surface longline. This paper discusses the monitoring of two foreigner longline fleet along the North East Brazilian coast between October of 2004 and September of 2005. Both operated in the West South Atlantic, one using the Chinese technique and the other the American. The American method s target species is the swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and it is characterized by using squid as bait, J 9/0 offset 5º hook, light sticks and night soaking. It also operates in shallower waters than the Chinese method. The source of information about the efforts and the catches came from onboard observers and were used to calculate the catching rate of turtles over 1000 hooks (CPUE). The American equipment caught more turtles (CPUE = 0,059; N= 103), mainly D. coriacea, while the Chinese longline caught mainly the L. olivacea and presented a CPUE= 0,018 (N= 89). The hooks were most frequently found attached to the mouth of C. caretta, C. mydas, and L. olivacea. The D. coriacea were most frequently caught by hooks externally attached to different parts of their body. There was no significant difference between the hook type catching and most turtles were still alive when released. The results suggest a greater potential of turtle catching by the American method. Besides the statistic tests have showed less interaction between the Chinese equipment and marine turtles, the catches of this fishing technique could have been underestimated due to miscommunication between the onboard observer and the vessel s crew plus the retrieve of the longline during night time

Separation and identification fresh water leeches of waters resources in Kordistan Province

In the primary studying, known leeches have included into free living and parasitic which the parasitic group, besides of direct impacts like: growth detraction, anemia, making wound in the connecting part with the skin, with making plat for secondary bacterial and molding infections in the toll place, is able to cause to transfer blood flagellate and virus to the fish too. Therefore, by accusing information related to fauna leeches of each area a risk factor from the viewpoint of the possibility of being or accusing transferred diseases by these leeches, one can predict and forehand about them. Freshwater leeches of Iran to present accurate recognition (morphological, molecular) have not been, and there are some limited reports from different parts of the country about them. One of the areas that its leeches have not been identified yet is Kurdistan, By having five latrines and big permanent rivers and 32000 springs and a lot of deep and semi-deep wells and this province is a convenient bed for growing aquatics in the country. Therefore, identifying risk factors for development of aquaculture on water resources is one important factor to access achieving development goals. For recognizing leeches of this province, some samples from 10 stands were token. Samples from under stones, sticking to the fish, turtles, plants and solid substances in the water were separated and after recording their physical characteristics, calming with 10% ethylic alcohol with 10% formalin become fixed and after painting with Carmen acetic acid by standard keys for 7 species of Helobdella stagnalis, Placobdella costata, Hemiclepsis marginata, Erpobdella octoculata, Hirudo medicinalis, Dina lineate lineata have been identified and described. Which Helobdella stagnalis has the highest distribution in the province and the minimum one is Hirudo medicinalis. However, that the data obtained in leeches in Kurdistan is a relatively complete collection in this research, recognizing fauna of these areas needs more studying. The Placobdella costata and Hemiclepsis marginata sticking to the fish were separated among identified species which showed that these are parasites for the fish. The sticking area of those leeches to the skin was accompanied with scales cast, damage to mucous membranes beneath the parasite and bleeding Was associated with Histopathology studying effect includes observing break and disconnection in the leech connecting place to the epithelial layer of epidermis in the skin, destroyed nucleus in skin Epithelial cells with observing necrosis in ulcerative place become of the leech and the sub acute inflammated penetration until acute necrosis with opening in Dermis layer is observable. Kidney of this fish have changes such as: proliferation, like proliferative kidney disease with increasing proliferative glomerular cells and increasing in membranous cells in Capillary corpuscle, observing necrotic cells in haematopoietic tissue of kidney along with increasing in infiltration of leukocyte's cells generally mono nucluars such as lymphocytes and less poly morpho nucluars such as neutrophiles that are symptoms of disorders causing anemia become of nourishing and sucking blood by the leech and creating a chronic kidney infection that originally root is in another place like the skin. Also Hemorrhagic anemia causes losing RBC's is because of using the host blood by the leech. (In this situation, one can see immature RBC red cells in Peripheral blood. To identify potential carriers of the leech to the viruses, after finding them in recorded stands and putting them in 75% ethanol for viruses cause IPN, VHS, IHN, they were tested by PCR that the conclusion of these experiments approved IPN virus in Hemiclepsis marginata and Hirudo medicinalis. This kind of leeches can act like a mechanical carrier and causing spreading the agent of this disease. It is worth mentioning that studying the pathogenicity of this virus for aquaculture sources, mentioned before needs more research. During the study of infected fish with leeches that was done after preparing bloody slides and staining them, no case blood parasites was observed. During a research about infecting fish experimentally to known leeches it become clear that 5 days after being in aquarium including leeches, samples of sticking Hirudo medicinalis leech to the golden carp with scales cast were observed. Including leeches to the fish started with molting the scales in the sticking area in the fish and fish become too uneasy and by rubbing themselves to the malls and things inside the aquarium, tried to separate them. Finally, after around 30 hours, leeches penetrate the skin, feeding from blood and tissue liquids and cause mortality the fish and then they become separated from them. If the corpse of these fish stayed in the aquarium, the Helobdella stagnalis and Erpobdella octoculata would start feeding them.

Les tortues de l'Indochine avec une note sur la pêche et l'elevage des tortues de mer par F. Le Poulain

The present note contains over 230 pages with black and white illustrations. It deals with the morphology of turtles and a description of more than 40 species, providing notes on habitat and distribution. It contains a note on sea turtles in the Gulf of Siam by F. Le Poulain.

Les batraciens de l'Indochine

This study on batrachians follows two previous works on Indochinese fauna, "Snakes of Indochina" and "Marine turtles of Indochina" by the same author. Hand drawings with all relevant details of every species have been included.

Implicaciones geodinámicas del complejo metamórfico paleozoico de la Sierra Madre Oriental en el Noreste de México

Dataciones geocronológicas U-Pb en circones detríticos, edades 40Ar/ 39Ar en mica blanca, análisis estructurales, texturales, la composición química de elementos mayores, traza y tierras raras (REE) así como la composición química mineral de las rocas metamáficas, metultramáficas y metasedimentarias, fueron determinadas con el fin de determinar las condiciones metamórficas, el ambiente tectónico y la procedencia del Esquisto Granjeno en el noreste de México (Nuevo León y Tamaulipas). En el país existen rocas metamórficas paleozoicas que están relacionados con los procesos que dieron lugar a la colisión entre Laurentia y Gondwana durante la formación Pangea. Vestigios de la configuración continental paleozoica de México se encuentran en el Esquisto Granjeno, que forma parte del basamento metamórfico de la Sierra Madre Oriental. Relaciones de campo y análisis petrográficos indican que el Esquisto Granjeno consiste de rocas metamórficas con protolitos sedimentarios (psamita, pelita, turbidita, conglomerado, lutita negra) e ígneos (toba, flujos de lava, lava meta-almohadillada y cuerpos ultramáficos). El geotermómetro de clorita, el geobarómetro de fengita y la edad 40Ar/ 39Ar calculada indican que el Esquisto Granjeno fue afectado por metamorfismo en facies de sub-esquistos verdes a facies de esquistos verdes-anfibolita, (165-410°C y 2.5-4 kbar ) durante el Carbonífero (330±30 Ma). Las rocas metamáficas del Esquisto Granjeno tienen una afinidad sub-alcalina a alcalina y se caracterizan por un bajo contenido de SiO2 (40-50 wt%), alto contenido de Al2O3 (19 wt%) y #MgO de 48-67. La abundancia de tierras raras (∑REE) varía de 51-167 ppm. Estas rocas presentan patrones de REE normalizados a condrita moderadamente fraccionados, con valores de LaN/YbN 0.74-8.88. La anomalía de europio es variable (Eu/Eu* 0.80- 1.09) y presenta una tendencia ligeramente negativa (Eu/Eu* 0.96). Las rocas metamáficas tienen composiciones correspondientes a basaltos de cresta (MORB) e isla oceánica (OIB), de acuerdo a los valores en las relaciones Zr/Y=6-8 y Zr/Nb=4-9 para OIB y 0.9-3; 14-53 para MORB. Los protolitos de la serpentinita y el metacumulato corresponden a dunita y harzburgita. La serpentina y el metacumulato tienen un contenido de MgO (16-39 wt%), SiO2 (36-45 wt%), FeO (2-11 wt%), Al2O3 (0.76-13 wt%), CaO (< 22wt%) y #MgO (85-98, 69). Las rocas de talco presentan contenido de MgO (26-33wt%), SiO2 (31- 61wt%), FeO (3.7-9.8wt%), Al2O3 (1.2-19wt%), CaO (0.25-2.0wt%), y #Mg (83-93). Los patrones de tierras raras casi horizontals (LaN/YbN=0.51-19.95 y la relación LaN/SmN=0.72-9.08 sugieren un origen vinculado a un ambiente de dorsal oceánica y de suprasubducción para las rocas ultramáficas. Las serpentinitas contienen cromita rica en Al, ferrit-cromita y magnetita. La cromita rica en Al tiene #Cr 0.48-0.55 que indica que este mineral fue formado a partir de una fuente tipo MORB y que fue afectada hasta un 18% fusión parcial durante su formación. La ferritchromita tiene #Cr 0.93-1.00 que indica un origen metamórfico. La composición química de roca total indica que los protolitos de las rocas metasedimentarias consisten de lutita, grauvaca y arenita. La metapelita y metapsamita tienen un contenido de SiO2 (69-78% y 80-96% ) y de Al2O3 (9-13% y 1-8%). La abundancia de ∑REE son variables en los metasedimentos (9-178 ppm). Presentan patrones de REE normalizados a condrita con una tendencia más fraccionada que los de las rocas metamáficas, con valores en las relaciones LaN/YbN de 3-16. Las rocas metasedimentarias tienen anomalías de europio negativa (Eu/Eu* 0.67). Los datos obtenidos sugieren que los protolitos de las rocas metasedimentarias derivan de fuentes mixtas con una composición ígnea félsica-básica. (Ti/Nb 200-400). Según los valores de las relaciones de los elementos traza Th/Sc y Zr/Sc de 0.2-3.6 y 0.2-220, respectivamente se sugiere un ambiente de depósito para los protolitos de margen continental activo.

Aspectos da biologia reprodutiva de Eretmochelys imbricata (testudines, cheloniidae) no litoral sul do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Female hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting along the southeastcoastline of Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil (6º13'40"S, 35º03'05"W) were captured and weighed during the four months from January to April 2007, in the course of the annual egglaying season, which extended from 06 rd November 2006 to 30 rd May 2007. In all, 99 weight measurements were performed. On first contact the females exhibited an average post-oviposition weight of 79.1 kg (range 56.2-98.9 kg, SD = 10.9 kg, n = 44 females). Those individuals which were subsequently recaptured showed a mean weight loss of 1.7 kg (range 0.7-4.5 kg, SD = 1.0 kg, n = 39 sets of measurements on 20 females) in the interval between two consecutive post-ovipositions, separated by a maximum time interval of 17 days. In the cases where the female aborted the nesting process, the pre-oviposition weight was measured. The clutch weight, that is to say, the weight loss between consecutive pre-oviposition and post-oviposition measurements (separated by a maximum time interval of 3 days), was found to be 5.2 kg (range 4.3-6.0 kg, SD = 0.9 kg, n = 6 sets of measurements). This value is significantly higher (t-test, p<0.001) than the loss between two consecutive post-oviposition measurements with the same female. The mean recovery in body weight, that is to say, the average gain in weight between successive post-oviposition and pre-oviposition captures of the same individual (separated by a time interval of 12 to 17 days), was found to be 3.0 kg (range 1.9-4.3 kg, SD = 1.0 kg, n = 4 sets of measurements) Although the small sample size makes it unwise to generalise, the recovery in body weight was found to be always significantly lower (t-test, p<0.005) than the clutch weight. This fact is in agreement with the observed weight loss tendency throughout the breeding season for this species. Considering the clutch weight and the internidal recovery in body weight we found that the total weight loss of the adult hawksbill females after three to five nesting events varied from 10.4% (range 8.7-11.9%, SD = 1.6%, n = 3) to 14.1% (range 11.8-15.4%, SD = 1.3%, n = 6) in relation to their initial pre-oviposition weight. If there were no body weight recovery during the internesting interval we estimate that a female that nests three to five times in the course of the season would lose from 19% to 31% of its initial weight. We emphasise that our clutch weight estimate was performed by weighing the females and not by multiplying the number of eggs in the nest by their average unit weight. In this way, our measurements take into account the loss of liquid during the oviposition. Despite the unequivocal evidence of body weight recovery during the internidal interval, it is not clear if the cause of this process is rehydration or feeding

Caracterização da captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas pela pesca de espinhel pelágico no Nordeste do Brasil

The marine turtles biological characteristics and the impact they have been suffering in consequence of human activities have caused in the last decades the decrease of populations to unsustainable levels. All four of the species described in this paper are registered as endangered in a list by IUCN: Caretta caretta, Lepidochelys olivacea, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea. The main causes of such impact include several fishing activities, mostly the surface longline. This paper discusses the monitoring of two foreigner longline fleet along the North East Brazilian coast between October of 2004 and September of 2005. Both operated in the West South Atlantic, one using the Chinese technique and the other the American. The American method s target species is the swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and it is characterized by using squid as bait, J 9/0 offset 5º hook, light sticks and night soaking. It also operates in shallower waters than the Chinese method. The source of information about the efforts and the catches came from onboard observers and were used to calculate the catching rate of turtles over 1000 hooks (CPUE). The American equipment caught more turtles (CPUE = 0,059; N= 103), mainly D. coriacea, while the Chinese longline caught mainly the L. olivacea and presented a CPUE= 0,018 (N= 89). The hooks were most frequently found attached to the mouth of C. caretta, C. mydas, and L. olivacea. The D. coriacea were most frequently caught by hooks externally attached to different parts of their body. There was no significant difference between the hook type catching and most turtles were still alive when released. The results suggest a greater potential of turtle catching by the American method. Besides the statistic tests have showed less interaction between the Chinese equipment and marine turtles, the catches of this fishing technique could have been underestimated due to miscommunication between the onboard observer and the vessel s crew plus the retrieve of the longline during night time

Quantifying wildlife-watching ecotourism intensity on an endangered marine vertebrate

Here, we show how seasonal changes in animal density drive strategic shifts in the activities of wildlife-watching operators. These shifts result in high viewing intensity when animal densities are low, highlighting the need for modifications to existing wildlife-watching guidelines. We used the endangered loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta as a model species that exhibits staggered departure from an important breeding area (Zakynthos, Greece, Mediterranean) over a 2-month period (July to August) when tourism is at a peak, to investigate changes in wildlife-watching strategies, zoning effectiveness and voluntary guideline compliance over time. We used a combination of direct land-based observations, global positioning system tracking (of wildlife-watching vessels and turtles) and models. The modelled number of turtles present in the breeding area decreased from >200 in July to <50 in August, while the intensity of turtle-viewing increased from a mean 1.5 to 6.1 wildlife-watching vessels per turtle-viewing event (i.e. concurrent and consecutive vessels observing a single turtle) over the same period, respectively. During this period, the wildlife-watching strategy changed and compliance to guidelines reduced (exacerbated by recreational vessels). However, wildlife-watching activity was limited to a highly restricted 0.95-km2 nearshore area, overlapping with just 9.5% of the core habitat area used by turtles. Our results have broad implications (whale watching etc.) by showing the importance of taking the number of animals available for viewing into consideration when assessing wildlife-watching activity and when designing viewing guidelines, particularly for populations where numbers noticeably fluctuate.

Predicting climate warming effects on green turtle hatchling viability and dispersal performance

Ectotherms are taxa considered highly sensitive to rapid climate warming. This is because body temperature profoundly governs their performance, fitness and life history. Yet, while several modelling approaches currently predict thermal effects on some aspects of life history and demography, they do not consider how temperature simultaneously affects developmental success and offspring phenotypic performance, two additional key attributes that are needed to comprehensively understand species responses to climate warming. Here, we developed a stepwise, individual-level modelling approach linking biophysical and developmental models with empirically derived performance functions to predict the effects of temperature-induced changes to offspring viability, phenotype and performance, using green sea turtle hatchlings as an ectotherm model. Climate warming is expected to particularly threaten sea turtles, as their life-history traits may preclude them from rapid adaptation. Under conservative and extreme warming, our model predicted large effects on performance attributes key to dispersal, as well as a reduction in offspring viability. Forecast sand temperatures produced smaller, weaker hatchlings, which were up to 40% slower than at present, albeit with increased energy stores. Conversely, increases in sea surface temperatures aided swimming performance. Our exploratory study points to the need for further development of integrative individual-based modelling frameworks to better understand the complex outcomes of climate change for ectotherm species. Such advances could better serve ecologists to highlight the most vulnerable species and populations, encouraging prioritization of conservation effort to the most threatened systems.

Top Down Control in a Relatively Pristine Seagrass Ecosystem

The loss of large-bodied herbivores and/or top predators has been associated with large-scale changes in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems around the world. Understanding the consequences of these declines has been hampered by a lack of studies in relatively pristine systems. To fill this gap, I investigated the dynamics of the relatively pristine seagrass ecosystem of Shark Bay, Australia. I began by examining the seagrass species distributions, stoichiometry, and patterns of nutrient limitation across the whole of Shark Bay. Large areas were N-limited, P-limited, or limited by factors other than nutrients. Phosphorus-limitation was centered in areas of restricted water exchange with the ocean. Nutrient content of seagrasses varied seasonally, but the strength of seasonal responses were species-specific. Using a cafeteria-style experiment, I found that fast-growing seagrass species, which had higher nutrient content experienced higher rates of herbivory than slow-growing species that are dominant in the bay but have low nutrient content. Although removal rates correlated well with nutrient content at a broad scale, within fast-growing species removal rates were not closely tied to N or P content. Using a combination of stable isotope analysis and animal borne video, I found that green turtles (Chelonia mydas) – one of the most abundant large-bodied herbivores in Shark Bay – appear to assimilate little energy from seagrasses at the population level. There was, however, evidence of individual specialization in turtle diets with some individuals foraging largely on seagrasses and others feeding primarily on macroalgae and gelatinous macroplankton. Finally, I used exclusion cages, to examine whether predation-sensitive habitat shifts by megagrazers (green turtles, dugongs) transmitted a behavior-mediated trophic cascade (BMTC) between sharks and seagrasses. In general, data were consistent with predictions of a behavior-mediated trophic cascade. Megaherbivore impacts on seagrasses were large only in the microhabitat where megaherbivores congregate to reduce predation risk. My study highlights the importance of large herbivores in structuring seagrass communities and, more generally, suggests that roving top predators likely are important in structuring communities - and possibly ecosystems - through non-consumptive pathways.