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Coastal habitat degradation and green sea turtle diets in Southeastern Brazil |
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| Authors: | Santos Robson G Martins Agnaldo Silva Farias Julyana da Nobrega Horta Paulo Antunes Pinheiro Hudson Tercio Torezani Evelise Baptistotte Cecília Seminoff Jeffrey A Balazs George H Work Thierry M |
| Institution: | a Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, CCHN, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 29075-910 Vitória, ES, Brazil b Departamento de Botânica, CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, 88010-970 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil c Projeto TAMAR-ICMBio, Escritório Regional de Vitória, 29040-715 Vitória, ES, Brazil d NOAA - National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 3333 N. Torrey Pines Ct., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA e NOAA - National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Center, 2570 Dole St., Honolulu, HI 96822, USA f US Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Honolulu Field Station, P.O. Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850, USA |
| Abstract: | To show the influence of coastal habitat degradation on the availability of food for green turtles (Chelonia mydas), we assessed the dietary preferences and macroalgae community at a feeding area in a highly urbanized region. The area showed low species richness and was classified as degraded. We examined stomach contents of 15 dead stranded turtles (CCL = 44.0 cm (SD 6.7 cm)). The diet was composed primarily of green algae Ulva spp. (83.6%). In contrast, the macroalgae community was dominated by the green alga Caulerpa mexicana. We found a selection for red algae, seagrass and Ulva spp., and avoidance for C. mexicana and brown alga Dictyopteris delicatula. The low diversity of available food items, possibly a result of environmental degradation, likely contributed to the low dietary diversity. The nutritional implications of this restricted diet are unclear. |
| Keywords: | Coastal environments Chelonia mydas Environmental degradation Diet Feeding preference Urbanization |
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