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Thesis
The Spatial Variability of Sea Turtle Nests Sites Related to Beach Morphology Characteristics on Pensacola Beach and Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fl
University of West Florida Libraries
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
Summer 2022
Abstract
Over the last 30 years, sea turtle nesting numbers have fluctuated annually but overall, their total population has declined. This decline is mainly due to the effects of humans on nesting habitats through coastal development and sea level rise. Sea turtles participate in natal homing and search for specific morphological characteristics for their nest site selection such as elevation, slope, and cross-shore length. To prevent further decline of the sea turtle population, it is imperative to know what morphology sea turtles prefer for their nest site. Pensacola Beach and Gulf Islands National Seashore are both areas impacted by natural and anthropogenic factors that have modified the natural beach morphology potentially influencing sea turtle nest site preference. To determine hotspot areas for sea turtle nest site preference and coldspot areas for the lack thereof, an optimized hotspot analysis was completed for the historical twenty-two years of records the county and national park had recorded. To assess nesting preference, beach profile lines were collected at and around 14 loggerhead nest sites during the 2021 nesting season. This research’s hypothesis was that the profile along the exact nest location represents the preferred morphological nesting characteristics; whereas the adjacent profiles depict the non-preferred morphological characteristics for nest site selection. Paired t-tests were run to establish statistical differences between the morphological characteristics at the nesting site profile and the adjacent profiles. Box plots were produced to display the median and quartile range of each morphological characteristic for each nest. Results not only illustrated that foreshore slope and beach slope were the two most important morphological characteristics influencing nest site selection, but that recurrent hotspot clustering was observed for a majority of the years analyzed. Data from this study can provide insight for environmental managers highlighting nest site preference thus aiding in the design of management practices, such as beach nourishments, for preserving sea turtles nesting habitats.
Details
- Title
- The Spatial Variability of Sea Turtle Nests Sites Related to Beach Morphology Characteristics on Pensacola Beach and Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fl
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Contributors
- Phillip Schmutz (Advisor)Kwame Owusu-Daaku (Committee Member)Samantha Seals (Committee Member)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 122
- Copyright
- Permission granted to the University of West Florida Libraries to digitize and/or display this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Further reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.
- Identifiers
- 99380092796806600
- Academic Unit
- Earth and Environmental Sciences; Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Science (MS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida