Marine Ecology Progress Series
MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps338233
copiedDispersal and dive patterns in gravid leatherback turtles during the nesting season in French Guiana
- Sabrina Fossette
- Sandra Ferraroli
- Hideji Tanaka
- Yan Ropert-Coudert
- Nobuaki Arai
- Katsufumi Sato
- Yasuhiko Naito
- Yvon Le Maho
- Jean-Yves Georges
ABSTRACT: We present the first combined analysis of diving behaviour and dispersal data collected from gravid leatherback turtles during 3 consecutive nesting seasons in French Guiana. In total, 23 turtles were fitted with Argos satellite transmitters and 16 individuals (including 6 that were concurrently satellite-tracked) were equipped with an electronic time-depth recorder for single inter-nesting intervals, i.e. between 2 consecutive ovi-positions. The leatherbacks dispersed over the continental shelffrom the coastal zone to the shelf breakand moved over 546.2 ± 154.1 km (mean ± SD) in waters of French Guiana and neighbouring Suriname. They mostly performed shallow (9.4 ± 9.2 m) and short (4.4 ± 3.4 min) dives with a slight diurnal pattern. They dived deeper as they moved away from the coast, suggesting that they were predominantly following the seabed. Inter-nesting intervals could be divided into 2 phases: the first comprised 75% of the time turtles spent at sea, during which they dived on average 47 min h1, while the second was characterised by lower and more variable diving effort as the turtles returned to shore. The extended movements of leatherbacks and the fine analysis of dive shapes suggest that, in French Guiana, leatherbacks may feed during the inter-nesting interval, probably to compensate for the energy costs associated with reproduction. Consequently, this critically endangered species is exposed to a high risk of interaction with local fisheries over the continental shelf.
KEYWORDS
Sabrina Fossette (Co-author)
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien-Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Université Louis Pasteur, CNRS-7178, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
- Université Louis Pasteur, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France
Sandra Ferraroli (Co-author)
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien-Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Université Louis Pasteur, CNRS-7178, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
Hideji Tanaka (Co-author)
- Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- National Institute of Polar Research, 1-9-10 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8515, Japan
Yan Ropert-Coudert (Co-author)
- National Institute of Polar Research, 1-9-10 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8515, Japan
Nobuaki Arai (Co-author)
- Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Katsufumi Sato (Co-author)
- National Institute of Polar Research, 1-9-10 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8515, Japan
Yasuhiko Naito (Co-author)
- National Institute of Polar Research, 1-9-10 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8515, Japan
Yvon Le Maho (Co-author)
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien-Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Université Louis Pasteur, CNRS-7178, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
Jean-Yves Georges (Corresponding Author)
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien-Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Université Louis Pasteur, CNRS-7178, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France