Local differentiation in the origin of stranded loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, within an eastern Turkey foraging area. (1st March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Turkozan, Oguz; Yılmaz, Can; Uçar, Aşkın Hasan; Carreras, Carlos; Ergene, Serap; Aymak, Cemil; Karaman, Sezgin
• Is Part Of: Ocean & coastal management. Volume 153(2018)
• Page Start: 70
• Page End: 75
• Publication Date: 2018-03-01
• Subjects: Mixed stock analysis -- Mediterranean -- Caretta caretta, foraging ground -- mtDNA; Marine resources -- Management -- Periodicals; Coastal zone management -- Periodicals; Coastal ecology -- Periodicals; Ressources marines -- Périodiques; Littoral -- Aménagement -- Périodiques; Écologie littorale -- Périodiques; Coastal ecology; Coastal zone management; Marine resources -- Management; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 551.46
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.12.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-5691

Abstract

Abstract: The eastern Mediterranean Sea is frequently visited by nesting and foraging loggerhead turtles and is also a nursery zone although the origin of these foraging animals has not yet been assessed. In order to estimate the natal origin of eastern Turkey foraging individuals we analysed a long fragment of the mtDNA control region from 135 loggerhead turtles and we performed a Bayesian mixed stock analysis to estimate the contributions from rookeries in the Mediterranean to the foraging grounds studied. A total of 5 haplotypes were identified but they were not homogeniously distributed across the sampling geographical range thus suggesting an east-west differentiation. The mixed stock analysis revealed that the turtles from the eastern feeding ground come mostly from the western nesting populations of Turkey (49%), while those from the western feeding ground come from Cypriot stocks (62%). These results show that anthropogenic activities on this area may have an impact on different populations depending on were this activities are located and overall pose threat to the survival of the western Turkish and Cypriot nesting beaches. Highlights: The turtles from the eastern feeding ground come mostly from the western nesting populations of Turkey (49%). The turtles from the western feeding ground come from Cypriot stocks (62%). The eastern coasts of Turkey is important for the conservation of the loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. This study showed the need of fine scale analysis everywhere as failing to do it may lead to erroneous conservation actions.