Coastal areas provide nesting habitat for marine turtles, which are critical for the persistence of their populations. However, many nesting areas are highly developed and exposed to associated disturbances, such as those from artificial lighting, human presence, shoreline armoring, beach compaction, noise, and pollution. These pressures jeopardize the quality of nesting areas, alter the behavior of both adults and hatchlings, and influence the reproductive output and success of marine turtles. Thus, our lab focuses on several projects that explore the extent to which nesting areas are exposed to coastal development and associated disturbances and quantifies impacts to marine turtle productivity.
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF COASTAL DEVELOPMENT ON MARINE TURTLES
SPECIFIC PROJECTS
- Cumulative impacts of coastal construction on nesting sea turtles in Florida.
- Assessment of Marine Turtle Nesting Habitat at Pocket Beaches in Florida
- Spatial and temporal analysis of coastal construction: implications for marine turtle nesting grounds in Florida
- Forecasting range expansion of marine turtles and their exposure to coastal development
PUBLICATIONS
Sella, K.A.N., #Ware, M., Ceriani, S. A., Desjardin, N., Eastman, S., Addison, D., Kraus, M., Trindell, R., Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2023). Urban pocket beaches as nesting habitat for marine turtles: Their importance and risk from inundation. Global Ecology and Conservation, 41.
Fuentes, M. M. P. B. , Allstadt, A. J., Ceriani, S. A., Godfrey, M. H., Gredzens, C., Helmers, D., Ingram, D., Pate, M., Radeloff, V. C., Shaver, D.J., Wildermann, N., Taylor, L., Bateman, B. L. (2020). Potential adaptability of marine turtles to climate change may be hindered by coastal development in the USA. Regional Environmental Change, 20(3), 104.
Sella, K., & Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2019). Using expert opinion to prioritize impacts of coastal construction on sea turtle nesting grounds. Coastal Management. doi:10.1080/08920753.2019.1642176.
COLLABORATORS
Kristen Sella, Florida State University
Simona Ceriani, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Simona Ceriani, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
FUNDING
Sea turtle license plate
Council of Research and Creativity, Florida State University
Council of Research and Creativity, Florida State University
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