Sea Turtles (summary/response 2)

In Brahic’s (2007) article entitled “Male turtle populations crashing in the heat”, she tried to explain that global warming and increasing temperature have a bad effect on the male turtle population. The male turtle can disappear from the beaches of Florida, if the temperature increased 2 degrees, established by a new study.

First, we can see that the population of female turtle will increase more than that of male turtles in Florida, which means that the temperature is more favorable to female eggs (90% female) and also that the males have migrated to North Carolina (58% female) because of the change of climate. And according the researchers, they thought that male turtles would hardly be able to meet female, so this migration is not a solution of the problem, because if female turtles can’t meet male turtles how can the sea turtle survive? One scientist, Brendan Godley, had analysed 26 years of data to see if temperature had an effect on sex ratios of turtles in North Carolina; the result, of this research on computer models and simulations, were striking, said Brahic.

After that, this increase of 2 degree in Florida (Cape Canaveral), would wipe out males in this regions according to the model. And if the same thing happened in North Carolina (Bald Head Island), because of an increase temperature of 5 degrees, researchers think that males travel south from north to reproduce, and this population of males of North Carolina is essential for Cape Canaveral, which is the most important nesting grounds of the US.

Next, there is the problem of the sea on the eastern seaboard, where new roads and houses are built, this expansion of human territory has increases the sea temperature near these new buildings. And the situation is already critical, and it can destroy all the population of turtles; because the temperature will increase 2 degree more because of the population and activity due to the human. This increase can produce a sex ratio that is only female (100%).

Finally, like Godley said, it’s essential to protect sites that produce males of the increasing temperature (change of climate) and of human activity. And it’s important to protect this oldest species, in any way that we can do. It’s not only for this species, but about global warming, because it’s our future which is on game.

Reference:

Brahic, C. (2007, February 21). Male turtle populations crashing in the heat. NewScientist Environment. Retrieved October 29, 2007
from: http://environment.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn11227