Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1977

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Abstract

The impact of coastline development on nesting sea turtles, nest contents, and hatchlings was investigated in southeastern Florida. There were 95-128 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests per mile on six miles of beach. Seventeen green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests were found. Nesting females did not avoid lighted, developed beaches in favor of undeveloped beaches. Hatchling emergence bearings were measured at 397 nests, and ambient light intensities were correlated with the incidence of misorientation. Most hatchlings emerging where artificial light sources were visible were misoriented inland. From 0-96% of misoriented hatchlings were killed by automobiles, ghost crabs, or dessication. Mortality was greatest where hatchlings were able to enter roadways, and lowest where barriers prevented this. Analysis of post-emergence contents of 422 nests revealed that mortality within nests was greater on soft beaches with large-grained sand than on fine-grained, firmer beaches, and was increased by human footfalls and beach-cleaning machinery.

Extent

112 p.

Comments

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1977.|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1977.

Identifier

FADT13839

Format

pdf

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