Stubbs, Jessica L.; Mitchell, Nicola J.; Marn, Nina; Vanderklift, Mathew A.; Pillans, Richard D.; Augustine, Starrlight (2019) A full life cycle Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model for the green sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) fitted to data on embryonic development. Journal of Sea Research, 143 . pp. 78-88. ISSN 1385-1101
Abstract
The complex life history of sea turtles presents challenges for researchers. These slow-growing, long-lived reptiles occupy several habitats throughout their life cycle, including oceanic environments where they are difficult to study. Consequently, much research on sea turtle biology has focussed on the nesting environment. Yet, to effectively manage sea turtle populations, the documentation of processes such as growth, maturation and reproductive output is critical to understanding their population dynamics. Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory provides a mechanistic framework for investigating such processes. Here we developed a full life cycle DEB model for a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) population from Western Australia, where the model was based primarily on data collected on the embryonic life stage. The model provided a good fit to empirical data, including the limited data on juvenile and adult growth, and suggested that it is practical to investigate full life cycle energetics based on embryonic data that are comparatively easy to collect. Maternal effects on embryonic development and patterns of energy allocation throughout the life cycle were inferred from the DEB model. This is the first DEB model developed for C. mydas, and its potential applications include demonstrating how maturation, maintenance and reproduction of wild individuals depend on food availability and temperature. Such applications are especially valuable for understanding future impacts of climate change, and how best to manage this iconic species that plays a key role in marine ecosystems across the globe.
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| Additional Information: | This study was supported by the BHP-CSIRO Ningaloo Outlook Marine Research Partnership and the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Western Australia. The authors thank the DBCA Parks and Wildlife Service for providing original data for selected recaptured turtles from the database. We also acknowledge the Western Australian Marine Turtle Program and associated volunteers who collected these initial length measurements. We thank Dr. Robert (Bob) Prince for useful insights into the Ningaloo green turtle population. We also thank two anonymous reviewers and guest editor for this special issue Dr. Michael Kearney for their constructive comments that improved our manuscript. JS was supported by the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) and BHP Marine Research Scholarship, NM was supported by the Endeavour Research Fellowship and Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) SCCTA-2202 grant, and SA was supported by the Norwegian Science Council ("FRamework for integrating Eco-physiological and Ecotoxicological data into marine ecosystem-based management tools" NFR 255295). | ||||||||
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Chelonia mydas ; Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory ; Parameter estimation ; Embryo energetics ; Life cycle model | ||||||||
| Subjects: | NATURAL SCIENCES NATURAL SCIENCES > Mathematics > Applied Mathematics and Mathematical Modeling NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Zoology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Ecology NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Marine Science NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science |
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| Divisions: | Division for Marine and Enviromental Research | ||||||||
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| Depositing User: | Nina Marn | ||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 17 Jul 2020 11:40 | ||||||||
| URI: | http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/5853 | ||||||||
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.seares.2018.06.012 |
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