Sea Turtle Population Ecology
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TABLE 11.3
Common Methods for Assessing Population Size and Trends in Sea Turtles
Census Type
Life Stage
Data
Examples
Nesting beach
Adult females, eggs,
hatchlings
AT, eggs/nest, egg and
nest survival
Greens: Bjorndal
et al., 1999;
Chaloupka, 2001
Loggerheads: Hays
and Speakman, 1991
All species: Van
Buskirk and
Crowder, 1994
Nesting beach with
tagging
Adult females
AT, nests/female,
remigration interval,
adult female survival
Hawksbills: Kerr
et al., 1999
Loggerheads: Frazer
and Richardson,
1985; Chaloupka and
Limpus, 2002
Greens: Chaloupka
and Limpus, 2001
In-water surveys with
tagging
Pelagic juvenile
Growth rates, AT, size
and age distribution
Loggerheads: Bolten,
2002
Benthic juvenile
Growth rates, AT, size
distribution, survival
rates, maturation
Loggerheads and
greens: Chaloupka
and Limpus, 2001
Greens: Limpus and
Chaloupka, 1997
Loggerheads: BraunMcNeill et al., in
review; Chaloupka,
2001
Hawksbills:
Chaloupka and
Limpus, 1997
Kemp’s ridleys:
Schmid and Witzell,
1997
CPUE fishing
recoveries
Benthic juvenile, adult AT, size and age
distribution
Loggerheads: Butler
et al., 1987; Witzell,
1999
Various: Bjorndal and
Bolten, 2000
Aerial or boat
transects
Benthic juvenile, adult AT
Various: Bjorndal and
Bolten, 2000
Various: McDaniel
et al., 2000
Loggerheads, Kemp’s
ridleys: Lutcavage
and Musick, 1985
(continued)
1123 book.book Page 295 Tuesday, November 12, 2002 7:43 AM