Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The diving behaviour of green turtles undertaking oceanic migration to and from Ascension Island: dive durations, dive profiles and depth distribution

Hays, G. C. ; Åkesson, Susanne LU ; Broderick, A. C. ; Glen, F. ; Godley, B. J. ; Luschi, P. ; Martin, C. ; Metcalfe, D. and Papi, F. (2001) In Journal of Experimental Biology 204(23). p.4093-4098
Abstract
Satellite telemetry was used to record the submergence duration of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as they migrated from Ascension Island to Brazil (N=12 individuals) while time/depth recorders (TDRs) were used to examine the depth distribution and dive profiles of individuals returning to Ascension Island to nest after experimental displacement (N=5 individuals). Satellite telemetry revealed that most submergences were short (<5 min) but that some submergences were longer (>20 min), particularly at night. TDRs revealed that much of the time was spent conducting short (24 min), shallow (approximately 0.91.5 m) dives, consistent with predictions for optimisation of near-surface travelling, while long (typically 2030 min), deep... (More)
Satellite telemetry was used to record the submergence duration of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as they migrated from Ascension Island to Brazil (N=12 individuals) while time/depth recorders (TDRs) were used to examine the depth distribution and dive profiles of individuals returning to Ascension Island to nest after experimental displacement (N=5 individuals). Satellite telemetry revealed that most submergences were short (<5 min) but that some submergences were longer (>20 min), particularly at night. TDRs revealed that much of the time was spent conducting short (24 min), shallow (approximately 0.91.5 m) dives, consistent with predictions for optimisation of near-surface travelling, while long (typically 2030 min), deep (typically 1020 m) dives had a distinctive profile found in other marine reptiles. These results suggest that green turtles crossing the Atlantic do not behave invariantly, but instead alternate between periods of travelling just beneath the surface and diving deeper. These deep dives may have evolved to reduce silhouetting against the surface, which would make turtles more susceptible to visual predators such as large sharks. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Experimental Biology
volume
204
issue
23
pages
4093 - 4098
publisher
The Company of Biologists Ltd
external identifiers
  • wos:000172748700009
  • scopus:0035746192
ISSN
1477-9145
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2a2983b0-1992-4a07-87ae-1c9c61bc3d84 (old id 131255)
alternative location
http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/abstract/204/23/4093
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:32:52
date last changed
2024-03-12 15:51:54
@article{2a2983b0-1992-4a07-87ae-1c9c61bc3d84,
  abstract     = {{Satellite telemetry was used to record the submergence duration of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as they migrated from Ascension Island to Brazil (N=12 individuals) while time/depth recorders (TDRs) were used to examine the depth distribution and dive profiles of individuals returning to Ascension Island to nest after experimental displacement (N=5 individuals). Satellite telemetry revealed that most submergences were short (&lt;5 min) but that some submergences were longer (&gt;20 min), particularly at night. TDRs revealed that much of the time was spent conducting short (24 min), shallow (approximately 0.91.5 m) dives, consistent with predictions for optimisation of near-surface travelling, while long (typically 2030 min), deep (typically 1020 m) dives had a distinctive profile found in other marine reptiles. These results suggest that green turtles crossing the Atlantic do not behave invariantly, but instead alternate between periods of travelling just beneath the surface and diving deeper. These deep dives may have evolved to reduce silhouetting against the surface, which would make turtles more susceptible to visual predators such as large sharks.}},
  author       = {{Hays, G. C. and Åkesson, Susanne and Broderick, A. C. and Glen, F. and Godley, B. J. and Luschi, P. and Martin, C. and Metcalfe, D. and Papi, F.}},
  issn         = {{1477-9145}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{23}},
  pages        = {{4093--4098}},
  publisher    = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
  series       = {{Journal of Experimental Biology}},
  title        = {{The diving behaviour of green turtles undertaking oceanic migration to and from Ascension Island: dive durations, dive profiles and depth distribution}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2967859/624186.pdf}},
  volume       = {{204}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}