Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Abstract

The photopollution of beaches caused by artificial light sources can interfere with sea turtle hatchlings' ability to orient properly towards the sea. Exhaustion due to extended disorientation crawling may then increase hatchling mortality. This study evaluated the energetic consequences of long-distance crawls in green and loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings. Turtles crawled for 200 m or 500 m on a treadmill, followed by a 30 minute evaluation of swim performance. Metabolic activity was quantified via measures of blood glucose, blood lactate, and oxygen consumption. No significant changes in metabolism resulted from long-distance crawling activity in loggerheads ; however, loggerheads rested for extended periods of time during the crawl trials, often unresponsive to stimuli. This behavior implies that loggerhead hatchlings would be vulnerable to predation or temperature stress due to exhaustion from extended periods of crawling. Further data is required to draw any significant conclusions about long-term disorientatin crawling in green hatchlings.

Extent

x, 36 p. : ill.

Comments

by Sean Williams.|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012.|Includes bibliography.|Mode of access: World Wide Web.|System requirements: Adobe Reader.|by Sean Williams.

Identifier

FADT3356891

Format

pdf

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