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Growth dynamics of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles undergoing an ontogenetic habitat shift

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Abstract

Ontogenetic niche theory predicts that individuals may undergo one or more changes in habitat or diet throughout their lifetime to maintain optimal growth rates, or to optimize trade-offs between mortality risk and growth. We combine skeletochronological and stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) analyses of sea turtle humeri (n = 61) to characterize the growth dynamics of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) during an oceanic-to-neritic ontogenetic shift. The primary objective of this study was to determine how ontogenetic niche theory extends to sea turtles, and to individuals with different patterns of resource use (discrete shifters, n = 23; facultative shifters n = 14; non-shifters, n = 24). Mean growth rates peaked at the start of the ontogenetic shift (based on change in δ15N values), but returned to pre-shift levels within 2 years. Turtles generally only experienced 1 year of relatively high growth, but the timing of peak growth relative to the start of an ontogenetic shift varied among individuals (before, n = 14; during, n = 12; after, n = 8). Furthermore, no reduction in growth preceded the transition, as is predicted by ontogenetic niche theory. Annual growth rates were similar between non-transitioning turtles resident in oceanic and neritic habitats and turtles displaying alternative patterns of resource use. These results suggest that factors other than maximization of size-specific growth may more strongly influence the timing of ontogenetic shifts in loggerhead sea turtles, and that alternative patterns of resource use may have limited influence on somatic growth and age at maturation in this species.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. McKay, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Stable Isotope Laboratory (Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR), for assistance with stable isotope analyses; J. Miller for micromill training; E. Parks for assistance with sample processing and collection; and, A. Yarbrough for assistance with collecting areal growth measurements. Special thanks to participants of the National Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network for their dedicated work and sample collection. This study was funded through the Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC) as part of the NOAA Educational Partnership Program, and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Research was conducted under USFWS permit number TE-676379-5 issued to the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Thank you to M. Snover, J. Miller, B. Crump, C. Layman, and two anonymous reviewers for their help in improving this manuscript.

Author contribution statement

MDR, LA, SSH conceived and designed the study. LA, JAS provided bone samples. LA, LRG performed skeletochronological analyses. MDR, JAS performed stable isotope analyses. MDR analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript; other authors provided editorial advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Matthew D. Ramirez & Selina S. Heppell

  2. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort Laboratory, 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA

    Larisa Avens & Lisa R. Goshe

  3. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    Jeffrey A. Seminoff

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  1. Matthew D. Ramirez
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Correspondence to Matthew D. Ramirez.

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Communicated by Craig A. Layman.

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Ramirez, M.D., Avens, L., Seminoff, J.A. et al. Growth dynamics of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles undergoing an ontogenetic habitat shift. Oecologia 183, 1087–1099 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-3832-5

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