NOVEL APPROACHES TO UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY OF MARINE TURTLES

The Marine Turtle Research, Ecology and Conservation Group strives to develop and use novel approaches that capitalizes on technological advancements in biologging devices, and analytical approaches to address multiple research questions related to the behavior and ecology of marine turtles.

SPECIFIC PROJECTS

  • Loggerheads: an integrated epibiosis study to assess foraging behavior, reproductive success, and habitats of Northern Gulf of Mexico loggerheads nesting at St. George Island
  • Evaluating the behavioural response of sea turtles to FaunaGuard Turtle module
  • Leveraging Next-Generation Sequencing to Identify Genetic Connectivity and Develop Novel Genetic Marks for Gulf of Mexico Loggerheads
  • Caught on Camera: The Secret Lives and Foraging Behaviors of Loggerhead Turtles in Florida’s Big Bend

PUBLICATIONS

Santos, A. J. B., Vieira, D. H. G., Bellini, C., Corso, G., A. Ceriani, S., & Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2021). Using data from nesting beach monitoring and satellite telemetry to improve estimates of marine turtle clutch frequency and population abundance. Marine Biology, 168(12)
Hardin, E.E., Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2021). A systematic review of acoustic telemetry as a tool to gain insights into marine turtles ecology and aid their conservation. Frontiers in Marine Science. 8(1649).
Siegfried, T. R., Fuentes, M. M. P. B. , Ware, M., Robinson, N. J., Roberto, E., Piacenza, J. R., Piacenza, S. E. Validating the use of stereo-video cameras to conduct remote measurements of sea turtles. Ecology and Evolution , 11: 8226– 8237.
Silver-Gorges, I., Ingels, J., dos Santos, G. A. P., Valdes, Y., Pontes, L. P., Silva, A. C., . . . Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2021). Epibionts reflect spatial and foraging ecology of Gulf of Mexico loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9(388).
Ware M, and Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2018). A comparison of methods used to monitor groundwater inundation of sea turtle nests. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 503, 1-7.
Tyson, R., Piniak, W. E. D., Domit, C., Mann, D., Hall, M., Nowacel, D. P., Fuentes, M. M. P. B. (2017) Applications for studying fine-scale behaviors of marine turtles in response to sound. Frontiers in Marine Science. 4, 219.
Fuentes, M. M. P. B. , Bell I., Hagihara R., Hamann M., Hazel J., Huth A., Seminoff J., Sobtzick S., Marsh H. (2015). Improving in-water estimates of marine turtle abundance by adjusting aerial survey counts for perception and availability biases. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 471, 77-83.
Williams JL, Pierce SJ, Fuentes, M. M. P. B. , Hamann M (2015) Effectiveness of recreational divers for monitoring sea turtle populations. Endangered Species Research. 26, 209- 219.
Fuentes, M. M. P. B. , Porter W (2013) Using a microclimate model to evaluate impacts of climate change on sea turtles. Ecological Modelling, 251: 150-157.

COLLABORATORS

Nathan Robinson, Wild Blue Science
Ian Silver-Gorges, FSU
Wendy Dow
Reny Tyson, Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program
Lisa Komoroske, Umass
Jeroen Ingels, FSU Marine Lab

FUNDING

Sea Turtle License Plate
Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors

Novel approaches to understanding the behavior and ecology of marine turtles
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles_14
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles_14
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles_14
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles_14
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles_14
Novel approaches to understand the behavior and ecology of marine turtles_14