Spatial Distribution of Loggerhead Turtles in the Tyrrhenian Sea: Aerial and Vessel-Based Surveys
摘要
Marine turtles in the Mediterranean face significant threats from habitat degradation, fisheries by-catch, plastic pollution, and maritime traffic, particularly in the Tyrrhenian Sea, a biodiversity hotspot. This study aims to identify key habitats for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) using spatial modeling based on presence-only data from ferry and aerial surveys conducted in 2018. A Spatial Log-Gaussian Cox Process was used to address observational biases and integrate environmental covariates. Preliminary results indicate the highest turtle density in the southeastern Tyrrhenian Sea, with greater uncertainty in the northern region due to lower survey effort. These findings contribute to conservation planning by improving our understanding of turtle spatial distribution.