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<p>Understanding population dynamics at the edges of a species’ range offers valuable insights into ecological responses to environmental change. However, information of the green turtle (<i>Chelonia mydas</i>) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean remains scarce. We analyzed data from 22 years of Capture–Mark–Recapture data (2,874 individuals) from an aggregation of juveniles in Uruguayan waters (33–35°S). We assessed temporal trends in aggregation structure, the influence of migration or brumation as the two key behavioral strategies and individual growth rates. Straight Carapace Length (SCL) at first capture ranged from 25.4 to 65.1&#xa0;cm (mean ± SD = 37.0 ± 5.0&#xa0;cm), with most turtles (85.4%) with good body condition index (BCI &gt; 1.25). Average size and weight declined significantly from 2002 to 2015 after which both variables stabilized or slightly increased. The turtles that brumated exhibited lower BCI and lower weight at a given length compared to non-brumating individuals. Mean growth rate was 1.16 ± 1.73&#xa0;cm year⁻¹, and was close to values from aggregations feeding on seaweed around the world at different latitudes. This result suggests that diet, rather than latitude, primarily drives the growth rate of the aggregation. Present findings showed that seasonal migration or brumation does not present significant effects on population fitness. Moreover, the change in long term size structure is congruent with findings in aggregations in the Atlantic but deserves further scrutiny. Long-term monitoring in transitional regions allow to detect and anticipate climate-driven changes in vulnerable sea turtle populations.</p>

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Population dynamics of the green turtle Chelonia mydas in their southern distribution in the Western Atlantic ocean

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月13日

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  • G. M. Vélez-Rubio,
  • A. Fallabrino,
  • D. González-Paredes,
  • G. Martinez Souza,
  • A. Estrades,
  • M. B. Reyes,
  • J. M. Ordoqui,
  • A. M. Segura

摘要

Understanding population dynamics at the edges of a species’ range offers valuable insights into ecological responses to environmental change. However, information of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean remains scarce. We analyzed data from 22 years of Capture–Mark–Recapture data (2,874 individuals) from an aggregation of juveniles in Uruguayan waters (33–35°S). We assessed temporal trends in aggregation structure, the influence of migration or brumation as the two key behavioral strategies and individual growth rates. Straight Carapace Length (SCL) at first capture ranged from 25.4 to 65.1 cm (mean ± SD = 37.0 ± 5.0 cm), with most turtles (85.4%) with good body condition index (BCI > 1.25). Average size and weight declined significantly from 2002 to 2015 after which both variables stabilized or slightly increased. The turtles that brumated exhibited lower BCI and lower weight at a given length compared to non-brumating individuals. Mean growth rate was 1.16 ± 1.73 cm year⁻¹, and was close to values from aggregations feeding on seaweed around the world at different latitudes. This result suggests that diet, rather than latitude, primarily drives the growth rate of the aggregation. Present findings showed that seasonal migration or brumation does not present significant effects on population fitness. Moreover, the change in long term size structure is congruent with findings in aggregations in the Atlantic but deserves further scrutiny. Long-term monitoring in transitional regions allow to detect and anticipate climate-driven changes in vulnerable sea turtle populations.