Interplay between age class, sex and stress response in green turtles (Chelonia mydas)

2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim S. Jessop ◽  
Mark Hamann

We investigated plasma hormone profiles of corticosterone in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in response to a capture stress protocol. Further, we examined whether age class and sex were covariates associated with variation in both basal corticosterone levels and the adrenocortical stress response of non-breeding green turtles. Green turtles responded to the capture stress protocol by significantly increasing plasma levels of corticosterone over an eight-hour period. Further, there was a significant effect of age class on the capacity for green turtles to produce corticosterone in response to a capture stressor, with juvenile green turtles having higher basal levels of corticosterone and producing significantly more corticosterone in response to capture stress than non-breeding adult turtles. In contrast there was no significant sex difference in the corticosterone stress response of green turtles irrespective of age class. In summary, green turtles exhibited an adrenocortical response to a capture stress protocol. This response was significantly associated with different age classes, perhaps suggesting that the response is increased in juvenile turtles to offset the reduced probability of survival consistent with this more vulnerable age class.

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 1768-1772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Stirling ◽  
Paul B. Latour

In most areas of the Canadian Arctic polar bear (Ursus maritimus) cubs apparently remain with their mothers until they are 2.5 years of age. The degree to which cubs of each age-class participate in the hunting of seals while with their mothers is examined in this paper in order to evaluate the degree to which they might be capable of independent hunting, should they be orphaned prior to the completion of the normal weaning period. Cubs of all age-classes did almost no hunting during the spring. The proportions of time spent hunting by yearling and 2-year-old cubs, and the durations of their lying 'still hunts' were not significantly different from each other but they were significantly shorter than their mothers' and than adult males' during the summer. However, the frequency of the lying 'still hunts' of 2-year-old cubs was double that of yearling cubs and the kill rate of 2-year-old cubs was comparable with that of adult age-classes, despite the fact they hunted for a significantly lesser proportion of their time. These results suggest that cubs which remain with their mothers until they are weaned have a higher probability of survival than those that do not and this interpretation lends support lo the management concept of total protection of family groups and the harvesting of independent bears only.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Nirma Audina ◽  
Raizal Fahmi Solihat ◽  
Asep Purwanto

This research was carried out in RPH Ujung Berung, BKPH Manglayang Barat KPH Bandung Utara, and Divisi Regional Jawa Barat & Banten. The time of the research was conducted from September to November 2018. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect the effect of age classes, diameter difference and interaction between age and diameter. Based on the results of the research it can be concluded that the productivity of pine resin is affected by the age class. It showed by data increased in age class followed by increased productivity of resin. Age Class IV is 13.26 grams, Age Class V is 30.74 grams and Age Class VI is 61.17 grams. There is a tendency for latex production to increase by the time the tree grow older to a certain age. Diameter affect the productivity of resin, the greater the growth of tree diameter, the more abundant the resin can be and the production of pine resin will increase. This is shown by data increased in diameter followed by increasing resin productivity, in diameters of 20-23 productivity of resin is 29.7 grams, diameter 24-27 productivity of resin is 36.44 grams and diameter 28-31 productivity of resin is 38.95 grams. Age classes difference affect the amount of resin production, the older the tree ages, the larger diameter will be, and finally affect to resin productivity, up to a certain age limit.


2018 ◽  
Vol 600 ◽  
pp. 151-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Hamabata ◽  
H Nishizawa ◽  
I Kawazu ◽  
K Kameda ◽  
N Kamezaki ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David P Marancik ◽  
Justin R Perrault ◽  
Lisa M Komoroske ◽  
Jamie A Stoll ◽  
Kristina N Kelley ◽  
...  

Abstract Evaluating sea turtle health can be challenging due to an incomplete understanding of pathophysiologic responses in these species. Proteome characterization of clinical plasma samples can provide insights into disease progression and prospective biomarker targets. A TMT-10-plex-LC–MS/MS platform was used to characterize the plasma proteome of five, juvenile, green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and compare qualitative and quantitative protein changes during moribund and recovered states. The 10 plasma samples yielded a total of 670 unique proteins. Using ≥1.2-fold change in protein abundance as a benchmark for physiologic upregulation or downregulation, 233 (34.8%) were differentially regulated in at least one turtle between moribund and recovered states. Forty-six proteins (6.9%) were differentially regulated in all five turtles with two proteins (0.3%) demonstrating a statistically significant change. A principle component analysis showed protein abundance loosely clustered between moribund samples or recovered samples and for turtles that presented with trauma (n = 3) or as intestinal floaters (n = 2). Gene Ontology terms demonstrated that moribund samples were represented by a higher number of proteins associated with blood coagulation, adaptive immune responses and acute phase response, while recovered turtle samples included a relatively higher number of proteins associated with metabolic processes and response to nutrients. Abundance levels of 48 proteins (7.2%) in moribund samples significantly correlated with total protein, albumin and/or globulin levels quantified by biochemical analysis. Differentially regulated proteins identified with immunologic and physiologic functions are discussed for their possible role in the green turtle pathophysiologic response and for their potential use as diagnostic biomarkers. These findings enhance our ability to interpret sea turtle health and further progress conservation, research and rehabilitation programs for these ecologically important species.


2021 ◽  
Vol 168 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josie L. Palmer ◽  
Damla Beton ◽  
Burak A. Çiçek ◽  
Sophie Davey ◽  
Emily M. Duncan ◽  
...  

AbstractDietary studies provide key insights into threats and changes within ecosystems and subsequent impacts on focal species. Diet is particularly challenging to study within marine environments and therefore is often poorly understood. Here, we examined the diet of stranded and bycaught loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in North Cyprus (35.33° N, 33.47° E) between 2011 and 2019. A total of 129 taxa were recorded in the diet of loggerhead turtles (n = 45), which were predominantly carnivorous (on average 72.1% of dietary biomass), foraging on a large variety of invertebrates, macroalgae, seagrasses and bony fish in low frequencies. Despite this opportunistic foraging strategy, one species was particularly dominant, the sponge Chondrosia reniformis (21.5%). Consumption of this sponge decreased with increasing turtle size. A greater degree of herbivory was found in green turtles (n = 40) which predominantly consumed seagrasses and macroalgae (88.8%) with a total of 101 taxa recorded. The most dominant species was a Lessepsian invasive seagrass, Halophila stipulacea (31.1%). This is the highest percentage recorded for this species in green turtle diet in the Mediterranean thus far. With increasing turtle size, the percentage of seagrass consumed increased with a concomitant decrease in macroalgae. Seagrass was consumed year-round. Omnivory occurred in all green turtle size classes but reduced in larger turtles (> 75 cm CCL) suggesting a slow ontogenetic dietary shift. Macroplastic ingestion was more common in green (31.6% of individuals) than loggerhead turtles (5.7%). This study provides the most complete dietary list for marine turtles in the eastern Mediterranean.


2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 723-734
Author(s):  
Tsung-Hsien Li ◽  
Chao-Chin Chang

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor- forming disease that afflicts all marine turtles and is the most common in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). In this study, the morphometric characteristics, blood gas, biochemistry, and hematological profiles of 28 (6 FP-positive and 22 FP-negative) green turtles from the coast of Taiwan were investigated. The results indicated that body weight ( P < 0.001) and curved carapace length (CCL; P < 0.001) in green turtles with FP were significantly higher than in turtles without FP. Furthermore, green turtles with FP had a significantly lower value of hemoglobin (HB; P = 0.010) and packed cell volume (PCV; P = 0.005) than turtles without FP. Blood cell counts of white blood cells (WBC; P = 0.008) and lymphocytes ( P = 0.022) were observed with significant difference; green turtles with FP had lower counts than turtles without FP. In addition, turtles with FP had significantly higher pH ( P = 0.036), base excess in extracellular fluid (BEecf; P = 0.012), bicarbonate (HCO3– ; P = 0.008), and total carbon dioxide (TCO2 ; P = 0.025) values than turtles without FP. The findings of this study provide valuable clinical parameters for the medical care of the species in sea turtle rehabilitation centers and help us to understand the physiological response of green turtles to different tumor-forming conditions.


Copeia ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 1982 (2) ◽  
pp. 482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fern E. Wood ◽  
James R. Wood

2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Santoro ◽  
Giovanna Hernández ◽  
Magaly Caballero ◽  
Fernando García

Copeia ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 1992 (4) ◽  
pp. 1098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan B. Bolten ◽  
Karen A. Bjorndal ◽  
Janice S. Grumbles ◽  
David W. Owens

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