Date of Award
Spring 4-13-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
April 2026
Department
Biological Sciences
College Granting Degree
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department Granting Degree
Biological Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
John Baldwin
Thesis/Dissertation Co-Chair
Kristen Hart
Abstract
Combining satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis offers a framework for inferring sea turtle foraging habitats when spatial isotopic gradients exist. We evaluated this combined approach using carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ1⁵N) isotope values from critically endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, U.S. Virgin Islands (N=31), and Long Island (Jumby Bay), Antigua (N = 31). Nesting females were satellite-tracked to identify foraging areas and sampled for skin tissue, and Empirical Bayesian Kriging was used to generate basin-scale δ13C and δ1⁵N isoscapes. Tracked turtles foraged widely across the Caribbean Basin, including the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Bahamas, and Central America. Substantial isotopic overlap among regions limit ability to geographically assign untracked individuals. This study provides a foundational assessment of the potential and limitations of integrating telemetry and stable isotope analysis to investigate hawksbill foraging ecology.
Recommended Citation
Kreiger, Anna, "EVALUATING THE GEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION FOR NESTING HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES IN THE WIDER CARIBBEAN BY COUPLING SATELLITE TELEMETRY AND STABLE ISOTOPES" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 318.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/318