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First published online October 7, 2005
Journal of Experimental Biology 208, 3873-3884 (2005)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2005
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01860

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Bioenergetics and diving activity of internesting leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea at Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, Costa Rica

Bryan P. Wallace^1,*, Cassondra L. Williams², Frank V. Paladino², Stephen J. Morreale³, R. Todd Lindstrom^4, and James R. Spotila¹

¹ Drexel University, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
² Indiana-Purdue University, Department of Biology, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 USA
³ Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, NY 14853
⁴ Lotek Wireless, Inc., St John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1C 1Z8

View larger version (23K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. Log(isotopic enrichment values) for (A) deuterium and (B) oxygen-18 for five leatherback turtles. The filled circle, square and diamond with solid lines represent the isotopic enrichments and washouts for the three turtles for which we were able to calculate FMRs. Open triangles and dotted lines represent the isotopic enrichments and washouts for the two turtles for which we were unable to calculate FMRs. Note the 3-day values for Female 3, which allowed for calculation of an FMR for the first 3 days of her internesting period and an FMR for her entire internesting period.

View larger version (21K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Mass-specific metabolic rates of adult female leatherback and green turtles. The field metabolic rates reported in this study for internesting leatherbacks (filled circle) were similar to metabolic rates measured during oviposition, nest construction or restraint for leatherbacks (open squares; Paladino et al., 1990, 1996) and slightly higher than those for green turtles (open inverted triangles; Prange and Jackson, 1976; Jackson, 1985). The FMRs were lower than metabolic rates measured during vigorous nest covering or walking along the beach for green turtles (filled inverted triangles; Prange and Jackson, 1976; Jackson, 1985) and leatherbacks (filled square; Paladino et al., 1990, 1996). Values are means ± 1 S.E.M.; numbers in parentheses indicate sample size.

View larger version (15K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. Water turnover rates (% TBW day–1) for marine turtles. Water turnover rates measured by DLW in this study (mean=24% TBW day–1, range=16–30% TBW day–1) are within the range of published values for marine turtles. x-axis labels from left to right, with the method by which water turnover rates were derived: L.k., Lepidochelys kempii adults, deuterated water (D2O) (Ortiz et al., 2001); D.c., D. coriacea hatchlings, lachrymal gland secretions (Reina et al., 2002b); C.m.1, C. mydas hatchlings, lachrymal gland secretions (Reina, 2000); C.m.2, C. mydas juveniles, DLW (Jones et al., in press); L.o., Lepidochelys olivacea hatchlings (s, swimming, c, crawling, d, digging) DLW (Clusella Trullas et al., in press); D.c. (striped bar): D. coriacea adults, DLW, this study.

View larger version (12K): [in a new window]   Fig. 4. Mean maximum dive depth vs (A) mean dive duration and (B) mean dive rate for internesting leatherback turtles. Increases in mean maximum dive depth resulted in increased mean dive durations (A; y=2.033+0.2553x, r2=0.588, P<0.001) and decreases in mean dive rates (B; y=7.727–0.1048x, r2=0.469, P=0.002) of 18 adult female leatherbacks.

View larger version (20K): [in a new window]   Fig. 5. Frequency distribution of dive durations for all turtles in relation to calculated aerobic dive limits (cADLs). Approximately 43% of all dives were 5 min long, and 25% of all dives exceeded the lower limit of the cADLs (11.7 min) that we calculated from field metabolic rates for free-swimming, internesting leatherbacks. Only one dive duration exceeded the upper limit (44.3 min) of cADLs.

View larger version (37K): [in a new window]   Fig. 6. Depth (blue trace) vs temperature (red trace) diving profiles for (A) 12 h and (B) 1 h. Electronic archival dive data displayed were recorded during day 3 of the internesting period for Turtle 1 and include her deepest dive (120 m), longest dive duration (22.2 min), and coldest water temperature experienced (14.4°C). Water temperatures experienced by Turtle 1 during this 12 h period ranged from 28.1 to 14.4°C.