Name:
Article-PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pdf
Size:
1.811Mb
Format:
PDF
Description:
Article - Full Text
Name:
Supplement_1_-_PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pone.0039979.s001.mov
Size:
4.019Mb
Format:
QuickTime video
Description:
Supplemental File 1
Name:
Supplement_2_-_PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pone.0039979.s002.mov
Size:
3.900Mb
Format:
QuickTime video
Description:
Supplemental File 2
Name:
Supplement_3_-_PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pone.0039979.s003.mov
Size:
2.801Mb
Format:
QuickTime video
Description:
Supplemental File 3
Name:
Supplement_4_-_PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pone.0039979.s004.pdf
Size:
234.3Kb
Format:
PDF
Description:
Supplemental File 4
Name:
Supplement_5_-_PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pone.0039979.s005.pdf
Size:
179.7Kb
Format:
PDF
Description:
Supplemental File 5
Name:
Supplement_6_-_PLoS_ONE-The_role_o-2012.pone.0039979.s006.doc
Size:
32.5Kb
Format:
Microsoft Word
Description:
Supplemental File 6
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Red Sea Research Center (RSRC)Date
2012-06-29Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/325306
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Herbivory is widely accepted as a vital function on coral reefs. To date, the majority of studies examining herbivory in coral reef environments have focused on the roles of fishes and/or urchins, with relatively few studies considering the potential role of macroherbivores in reef processes. Here, we introduce evidence that highlights the potential role of marine turtles as herbivores on coral reefs. While conducting experimental habitat manipulations to assess the roles of herbivorous reef fishes we observed green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) showing responses that were remarkably similar to those of herbivorous fishes. Reducing the sediment load of the epilithic algal matrix on a coral reef resulted in a forty-fold increase in grazing by green turtles. Hawksbill turtles were also observed to browse transplanted thalli of the macroalga Sargassum swartzii in a coral reef environment. These responses not only show strong parallels to herbivorous reef fishes, but also highlight that marine turtles actively, and intentionally, remove algae from coral reefs. When considering the size and potential historical abundance of marine turtles we suggest that these potentially valuable herbivores may have been lost from many coral reefs before their true importance was understood. © 2012 Goatley et al.Citation
Goatley CHR, Hoey AS, Bellwood DR (2012) The Role of Turtles as Coral Reef Macroherbivores. PLoS ONE 7: e39979. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039979.Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)Journal
PLoS ONEPubMed ID
22768189PubMed Central ID
PMC3386948ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1371/journal.pone.0039979
Scopus Count
Related articles
- Contribution of green turtles Chelonia mydas to total herbivore biomass in shallow tropical reefs of oceanic islands.
- Authors: Cardona L, Campos P, Velásquez-Vacca A
- Issue date: 2020
- Sediment suppresses herbivory across a coral reef depth gradient.
- Authors: Goatley CH, Bellwood DR
- Issue date: 2012 Dec 23
- Sediments ratchet-down coral reef algal turf productivity.
- Authors: Tebbett SB, Bellwood DR
- Issue date: 2020 Apr 15
- Herbivorous Crabs Reverse the Seaweed Dilemma on Coral Reefs.
- Authors: Spadaro AJ, Butler MJ 4th
- Issue date: 2021 Feb 22
- High macroalgal cover and low coral recruitment undermines the potential resilience of the world's southernmost coral reef assemblages.
- Authors: Hoey AS, Pratchett MS, Cvitanovic C
- Issue date: 2011
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Newly described nesting sites of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the central Red SeaScott, Kirsty; Tanabe, Lyndsey K.; Miller, Jeffrey D.; Berumen, Michael L. (PeerJ, PeerJ, 2022-07-01) [Article]Background: There is relatively little published information about sea turtle nesting distribution and seasonality in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. Upcoming large-scale developments occurring along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast could negatively affect many sea turtle nesting beaches with potential impacts on the survival of local populations. Methods: In 2019, two coastal beaches and three near-shore islands were surveyed for turtle nesting in the central Red Sea. We recorded all emergences, examined beach morphology, and collected sand samples to determine grain size, moisture content and colour. Results: Sea turtle nesting was found at all surveyed sites, though emergence counts were often low. The limited occurrence of nesting at several previously undocumented sites suggests that nesting activity may be widespread, but sparsely distributed, in the central Red Sea region. In addition, nesting at novel sites appeared to favour the seaward side of islands, a pattern that was not observed in previously documented areas. The substrate of most surveyed sites was composed of calcium carbonate with Ras Baridi as the only exception; it was composed of dark quartz-rich sediment. This study highlights several important sea turtle rookeries while also demonstrating that low levels of nesting occur throughout the region, although inter-annual nesting patterns still need to be determined. Future developments should be steered away from key nesting areas and the seaward bias in marginal rookeries should be taken into account where possible.
-
Nesting Site Preference of Marine Turtles in the Central Red SeaScott, Kirsty (2020-04) [Thesis]
Advisor: Berumen, Michael L.
Committee members: Jones, Burton; Afifi, AbdulkaderOviposition habitat is important to species with no protracted parental care. For sea turtles, nest site selection may affect offspring fitness through microenvironmental characteristics such as moisture, beach slope, temperature and grain size. Climate change and coastal development will result in changes of nest site characteristics. In particular in Saudi Arabia, with the advent of tourism, there will be development of giga-projects such as the crossborder city of NEOM and luxury tourist resort ‘The Red Sea Project’. To evaluate the different beach characteristics, we assessed the change in parameters over the nesting season, differences in microenvironmental characteristics with regard to nest distribution and compared differences between low- and high- density nesting sites in the central Red Sea, during the 2019 nesting season. We sampled on a biweekly basis, taking various insitu measurements and collecting sand samples to be analysed for grain size, moisture content and colour. HOBO temperature loggers were deployed at sites where nesting occurred. At our low- density sites nest distribution was dictated mainly by angle of beach slope, ANOVA (P<0.05) and the presence of vegetation with most nesting clustered where the slope was steepest and at the sand to vegetation interface. Differences between highand low- density sites were revealed by differences in grain size and sorting conducive of the differences in sediment composition. The change in characteristics over time showed a sequential order of environmental cues: temperature, moisture and slope that initiate nesting. Our results establish the importance of particular beach characteristics in nest site selection of marine turtles, highlighting geologically unique nesting sites and specific environmental cues related to nest timing. This information can be used to inform future coastal development and conservation strategies in Saudi Arabia and is the first study to identify low-nesting sites in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. -
Sand temperature profiles at turtle nesting sites in the Red Sea: implications for hatchling sex ratiosTanabe, Lyndsey K. (2018-11) [Thesis]
Advisor: Berumen, Michael L.
Committee members: Jones, Burton; Hoteit, IbrahimClimate change poses a serious threat to species that demonstrate temperature dependent sex determination (TDS), including marine turtles. Increased temperatures can result in highly female skewed sex ratios and decreased hatchling success. In situ sand temperature data was collected from the nesting depth of hawksbill and green turtles at five study sites along the coast of the Red Sea. The sand temperature profile at four of the sites exceeded the pivotal temperature of 29.2°C (commonly cited in literature) throughout the study duration, which suggests feminization of turtles could be occurring, but further studies need to identify the pivotal temperature in this region. The percentage of days exceeding the commonly cited maximum thermal threshold (33 and 35°C) was calculated for each site at 30 and 50 cm. Sand temperature recordings were as high as 36.0°C at 30 cm depth, and 35.3°C at 50 cm. This suggests that the turtle hatchlings in some areas of the Red Sea could already have high mortality rates due to high temperatures, unless they are locally adapted to these high temperatures. The Red Sea is home to five out of the seven extant species of marine turtles in the world, but not much is known about these populations. The Red Sea is an understudied region of the world, but it has the potential to provide insight on how species might adapt to future climate change due to its high and variable water temperatures (range of 20°C to 35°C) and high salinity (40 PSU). Sites with lower sand temperatures (and lower risk of feminization) may represent priority areas for conservation efforts, particularly in regions facing imminent coastal development.