Title

Hypothermic Stunning And Mortality Of Marine Turtles In The Indian River Lagoon System, Florida

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Copeia

Keywords

Zoology; Lagoons; Water temperature; Mosquitos; Sea turtles; Surface water; Marine fishes; Cold water; Cold weather; Inlets

Abstract

Periods of severely cold weather stunned marine turtles inhabiting the northern Indian River Lagoon System in Jan. 1977, 1978, 1981, 1985 and 1986. Morning surface water temperatures during these events generally were below 8.0 C (x̄ = 6.7 C, SD = 1.77). These events involved 342 green turtles, 123 loggerheads and 2 Kemp's ridleys. Most animals were rescued alive and released later. A greater proportion of resident green turtles than loggerheads was affected by the cold water. Size class distributions of green turtles captured in 1977 and 1981 indicate that an increase in recruitment occurred between those years. Impacts of these hypothermic stunning events on lagoonal populations, especially green turtles, are potentially devastating. A trapping effect exhibited by Mosquito Lagoon and the northern Indian River may prevent resident turtles from locating refuges thereby contributing to the occurrence of cold-stunning events there. As a possible result of frequent cold-stunning events, fewer green turtles inhabit Mosquito Lagoon than other parts of the Indian River Lagoon System.

Journal Title

Copeia

Issue/Number

3

Publication Date

1-1-1989

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

696

Last Page

703

WOS Identifier

WOS:A1989AK74600018

ISSN

0045-8511

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