Newswise —
The elevation of the ocean's surface may result in the inundation of sea turtle breeding sites located in Australia, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and the USA, as per a study issued in Scientific Reports. The results imply that flooding may add to the disappearance of turtle nesting locations, and leatherback turtle nests might be especially at risk.
Marga Rivas and her team evaluated the likelihood of flooding occurring in 2,835 sea turtle nesting sites across seven breeding grounds from 2010 to 2100, based on moderate and high greenhouse gas emission scenarios (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5). These breeding grounds included Mondonguillo beach (Costa Rica), Guanahacabibes peninsula (Cuba), Saona Island (Dominican Republic), the Ecuadorian coast, Raine Island (Australia), St George Island (Florida, USA), and Sint Eustatius (Caribbean Netherlands). The breeding grounds were utilized by five distinct sea
The study's findings indicate that breeding grounds situated on level beaches are highly susceptible to flooding under a moderate emissions scenario (RCP 4.5). The authors predict that by 2050, 100% of nesting sites in low-elevation, level beach breeding grounds, such as Raine Island and Saona Island, may be vulnerable to flooding. In addition, under the same emissions scenario, the authors estimate that St George Island and Mondonguillo beach's entire nesting locations may be exposed to flooding. When multiple turtle species utilize a breeding ground, the authors believe that leatherback turtle nesting sites may be especially vulnerable to flooding due to each species' nesting location preferences. Leatherback turtles usually nest in open areas close to the high tide line, while hawksbill and green turtles prefer higher elevations closer to dunes and steep cliffs. As a result, the authors estimate that under a moderate emissions scenario, an average of 50% of leatherback, 18% of hawksbill, and 13% of green turtle nesting sites in St Eustatius may be vulnerable to flooding by 2050.
The study's authors speculate that sea level rises could result in female sea turtles laying their eggs on flooded beaches, negatively impacting the number of turtles hatching. As these turtles typically return to the same beaches where they were born, this could have long-term consequences on sea turtle populations. However, the extent of this impact remains unclear, and more research is necessary to determine how rapidly turtles can adapt to the flooding of nesting habitats. The authors emphasize that their study highlights the importance of implementing strategies to reduce the impact of sea level rises on sea turtle populations. They suggest methods such as sand replenishment on nesting beaches, nest relocation, and the utilization of turtle hatcheries to improve the resilience of these endangered species.
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