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Nutrient input from green turtle eggs and hatchlings in a west Africa Island and its nearshore environment

datacite.subject.fosCiências Naturais::Ciências Biológicas
datacite.subject.sdg14:Proteger a Vida Marinha
dc.contributor.authorFerreira Raposo, Cheila Sofia
dc.contributor.authorPatrício, Ana Rita
dc.contributor.authorCatry, Paulo
dc.contributor.authorBarbosa, Castro
dc.contributor.authorCamará, Assana
dc.contributor.authorRegalla, Aissa
dc.contributor.authorRebelo, Rui
dc.date.accessioned2025-07-18T13:31:13Z
dc.date.available2025-07-18T13:31:13Z
dc.date.issued2025-02-15
dc.description.abstractSea turtle nesting brings marine-derived nutrients into sandy beach ecosystems, potentially influencing their dynamics. We investigated nutrient input from green turtle <jats:italic>Chelonia mydas</jats:italic> eggs and hatchlings into coastal habitats in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. We assessed two islands within the João Vieira-Poilão Marine National Park (‘JVPMNP’), with contrasting sea turtle nesting density: very low (João Vieira) and very high (Poilão). On each island, we analyzed stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in one pair of plant species (coinvine <jats:italic>Dalbergia ecastaphyllum</jats:italic> bush/baobab <jats:italic>Adansonia digitata</jats:italic> tree) and two pairs of predator species (tufted ghost crab <jats:italic>Ocypode cursor</jats:italic>/African rainbow crab <jats:italic>Cardisoma armatum</jats:italic> and sea catfish <jats:italic>Carlarius</jats:italic> spp./crevalle jack <jats:italic>Caranx hippos</jats:italic>). The first species in each pair is distributed closer to nesting sites, while the second is found further inland or offshore. Stomach content analysis was also conducted for fishes. Results supported nutrient input from turtle clutches benefiting the species living near nesting sites. Shoreline coinvines at Poilão had higher δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N (5.1 ± 3.2‰) compared to João Vieira (≈0‰), suggesting assimilation of turtle-derived <jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N. Shoreline tufted ghost crabs at Poilão had enriched δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N (15.2 ± 0.7‰ vs. João Vieira’s 12.2 ± 1.1‰) and δ<jats:sup>13</jats:sup>C (− 13.4 ± 0.7‰ vs. João Vieira’s − 18.7 ± 1.4‰), likely reflecting predation upon eggs and hatchlings. Sea catfishes at Poilão frequently consumed unhatched turtle eggs washed into the sea (17% frequency of occurrence) and hatchlings (up to 27%). This study suggests that nutrient availability from turtle nests influences and supports shoreline plants and consumers at JVPMNP.</jats:p>por
dc.identifier.citationRaposo, C., Catry, P., Patrício, A. R., Rebelo, R., Barbosa, C., Camará, A., & Regalla, A. (2025). Nutrient Input from Green Turtle Eggs and Hatchlings in a West Africa Island and Its Nearshore Environment. Estuaries and Coasts, 48(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-025-01500-9
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s12237-025-01500-9
dc.identifier.issn1559-2723
dc.identifier.issn1559-2731
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/13563
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.relation.hasversionhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12237-025-01500-9
dc.relation.ispartofEstuaries and Coasts
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectNutrient transport
dc.subjectNutrient input
dc.subjectSea turtles
dc.subjectEcosystems
dc.subjectStable isotope analysis
dc.subjectProducers and secondary consumers
dc.titleNutrient input from green turtle eggs and hatchlings in a west Africa Island and its nearshore environmentpor
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue3
oaire.citation.titleEstuaries and Coasts
oaire.citation.volume48
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameFerreira Raposo
person.givenNameCheila Sofia
person.identifierUzxAncYAAAAJ
person.identifier.ciencia-id9E1E-A452-791E
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-1674-0017
relation.isAuthorOfPublication97d2019f-9927-4212-a4f2-44bb74445044
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery97d2019f-9927-4212-a4f2-44bb74445044

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