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Long-term trends in the foraging ecology and habitat use of an endangered species: an isotopic perspective

  • Conservation ecology – original research
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Abstract

Evaluating long-term drivers of foraging ecology and population productivity is crucial for providing ecological baselines and forecasting species responses to future environmental conditions. Here, we examine the trophic ecology and habitat use of North Atlantic leatherback turtles (St. Croix nesting population) and investigate the effects of large-scale oceanographic conditions on leatherback foraging dynamics. We used bulk and compound-specific nitrogen isotope analysis of amino acids (CSIA-AA) to estimate leatherback trophic position (TP) over an 18-year period, compare these estimates with TP estimates from a Pacific leatherback population, and elucidate the pre-nesting habitat use patterns of leatherbacks. Our secondary objective was to use oceanographic indices and nesting information from St. Croix leatherbacks to evaluate relationships between trophic ecology, nesting parameters, and regional environmental conditions measured by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. We found no change in leatherback TP over time and no difference in TP between Atlantic and Pacific leatherbacks, indicating that differences in trophic ecology between populations are an unlikely driver of the population dichotomy between Pacific and Atlantic leatherbacks. Isotope data suggested that St. Croix leatherbacks inhabit multiple oceanic regions prior to nesting, although, like their conspecifics in the Pacific, individuals exhibit fidelity to specific foraging regions. Leatherback nesting parameters were weakly related to the NAO, which may suggest that positive NAO phases benefit St. Croix leatherbacks, potentially through increases in resource availability in their foraging areas. Our data contribute to the understanding of leatherback turtle ecology and potential mechanistic drivers of the dichotomy between populations of this protected species.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Kelly Stewart, Dr. Jeanne Garner, Claudia Lombard, Mike Evans, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and all employees and volunteers who assisted in field work at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. All samples were collected under federal and state permit guidelines. We would also like to thank Natalie Wallsgrove, Joel Schumacher, and Andrea Liu for their assistance in sample preparation and isotope analyses. This research was funded by the Inter-university training in continental-scale ecology award from the National Science Foundation (award #1137336), the Boyd Lyon Sea Turtle Fund, and NIH T32 GM007240 Cell and Molecular Genetics Training Program through the University of California, San Diego. This is School of Ocean Science and Technology contribution number10472. Funding was provided by Jean Marie Messier Memorial Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Elizabeth D. Hetherington, Lisa C. Robison & Carolyn M. Kurle

  2. Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Jeffrey A. Seminoff & Peter H. Dutton

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Brian N. Popp

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  1. Elizabeth D. Hetherington
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  2. Jeffrey A. Seminoff
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  3. Peter H. Dutton
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  4. Lisa C. Robison
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  5. Brian N. Popp
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  6. Carolyn M. Kurle
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Contributions

EDH and JAS conceived the ideas and designed the methodology; CMK made substantial contributions to the development, design, and execution of this study. BNP contributed to the interpretation of stable isotope data and stable isotope analyses were conducted in BNP’s isotope laboratory. LR prepared samples for analyses and assisted with data analysis; PHD coordinated sample collection and PHD and JAS provided input on interpretation of results; EDH led the writing of the manuscript. All authors contributed critically to the draft and gave final approval for publication.

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Correspondence to Elizabeth D. Hetherington.

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Communicated by Helene Marsh.

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Hetherington, E.D., Seminoff, J.A., Dutton, P.H. et al. Long-term trends in the foraging ecology and habitat use of an endangered species: an isotopic perspective. Oecologia 188, 1273–1285 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-018-4279-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-018-4279-z

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