Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat
Sea turtles, as endangered and focal conservation organisms, are important in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems but are threatened with extinction due to climate change and human disturbance. Although studies have revealed combined influences of environmental variables on sea turtle reproductio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942500201X |
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| author | Tsung-Han Liu Ming-Shiou Jeng Chan-Yuan David Lee Chih-Wei Tu Po-Hsiung Lin Chaolun Allen Chen Chia-Ying Ko |
| author_facet | Tsung-Han Liu Ming-Shiou Jeng Chan-Yuan David Lee Chih-Wei Tu Po-Hsiung Lin Chaolun Allen Chen Chia-Ying Ko |
| author_sort | Tsung-Han Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sea turtles, as endangered and focal conservation organisms, are important in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems but are threatened with extinction due to climate change and human disturbance. Although studies have revealed combined influences of environmental variables on sea turtle reproduction, little is known about impacts of alternating monsoons on their nesting activities on island-based habitats. In the South China Sea, prevailing monsoon winds shift from southwesterly in summer to northeasterly in winter, with transitional periods in spring and autumn. These seasonal wind patterns subsequently change local environmental conditions. Through daily and monthly intensive surveys, we evaluated spatiotemporal variations in the nesting of green sea turtle Chelonia mydas and predicted conditions that increased their probabilities of successful nesting on Taiping Island. The results revealed that the green sea turtles on the island were nested mainly on north coast and nesting proportion increased monthly as monsoon winds changed. They exhibited tortuous routes, particularly on south coast during the summer, and expressed emergence preferences under specific climatic and circadian conditions. The prediction model revealed bimonthly temporal variations following monsoon alternations, with total distance being consistently an important variable, whereas climatic and circadian variables weakly influenced successful nesting under the prevailing southwesterly summer monsoon. Successful nesting additionally was positively correlated with total distance and atmospheric pressure but negatively correlated with straightness index, humidity, tidal height, and daily high tide. Overall, the nesting activities of green sea turtles exhibit spatiotemporal changes on the island-based habitats, and future management and conservation of nesting beaches should consider coastal conditions that may present challenges in response to monsoon alternations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4e685cda830e41c29111d53cdfab303d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj-art-4e685cda830e41c29111d53cdfab303d2025-08-20T01:55:31ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942025-08-0160e0360010.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03600Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitatTsung-Han Liu0Ming-Shiou Jeng1Chan-Yuan David Lee2Chih-Wei Tu3Po-Hsiung Lin4Chaolun Allen Chen5Chia-Ying Ko6Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanBiodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanInstitute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, TaiwanInstitute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, TaiwanBiodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanInstitute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Master's Program in Biodiversity, Biodiversity Research Center, Ocean Center, and Museum of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Correspondence to National Taiwan University, Institute of Fisheries Science, Taipei, Taiwan.Sea turtles, as endangered and focal conservation organisms, are important in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems but are threatened with extinction due to climate change and human disturbance. Although studies have revealed combined influences of environmental variables on sea turtle reproduction, little is known about impacts of alternating monsoons on their nesting activities on island-based habitats. In the South China Sea, prevailing monsoon winds shift from southwesterly in summer to northeasterly in winter, with transitional periods in spring and autumn. These seasonal wind patterns subsequently change local environmental conditions. Through daily and monthly intensive surveys, we evaluated spatiotemporal variations in the nesting of green sea turtle Chelonia mydas and predicted conditions that increased their probabilities of successful nesting on Taiping Island. The results revealed that the green sea turtles on the island were nested mainly on north coast and nesting proportion increased monthly as monsoon winds changed. They exhibited tortuous routes, particularly on south coast during the summer, and expressed emergence preferences under specific climatic and circadian conditions. The prediction model revealed bimonthly temporal variations following monsoon alternations, with total distance being consistently an important variable, whereas climatic and circadian variables weakly influenced successful nesting under the prevailing southwesterly summer monsoon. Successful nesting additionally was positively correlated with total distance and atmospheric pressure but negatively correlated with straightness index, humidity, tidal height, and daily high tide. Overall, the nesting activities of green sea turtles exhibit spatiotemporal changes on the island-based habitats, and future management and conservation of nesting beaches should consider coastal conditions that may present challenges in response to monsoon alternations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942500201XGreen sea turtleIsland-based habitatMonsoonNesting activitySouth China SeaReproductive ecology |
| spellingShingle | Tsung-Han Liu Ming-Shiou Jeng Chan-Yuan David Lee Chih-Wei Tu Po-Hsiung Lin Chaolun Allen Chen Chia-Ying Ko Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat Global Ecology and Conservation Green sea turtle Island-based habitat Monsoon Nesting activity South China Sea Reproductive ecology |
| title | Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat |
| title_full | Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat |
| title_fullStr | Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat |
| title_short | Monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island-based habitat |
| title_sort | monsoon dynamics shape spatiotemporal patterns in green sea turtle nesting on an island based habitat |
| topic | Green sea turtle Island-based habitat Monsoon Nesting activity South China Sea Reproductive ecology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942500201X |
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