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Magnetic orientation of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings

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Date Issued:
2010
Summary:
Loggerhead sea turtles nest on either the Atlantic or Gulf coast of Florida. The hatchlings from these nests migrate offshore in opposite directions. The purpose of my study was to determine if Gulf coast hatchlings use magnetic maps, as Atlantic coast hatchlings do, both to locate areas favorable for survival in the Gulf of Mexico and to orient appropriately within surface currents that could transport them into the Atlantic Ocean. To find out, I presented Gulf coast hatchlings with magnetic fields corresponding to different locations inside the Gulf, and within currents leading into (Florida Straits) and within (Gulf Stream) the western portion of the Atlantic Ocean. I conclude that Gulf coast hatchlings (i) use a high resolution magnetic map for navigation within the Gulf of Mexico, (ii) initially remain within the eastern Gulf, but later may (iii) gain entry into currents that transport them into Atlantic waters.
Title: Magnetic orientation of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings: migratory strategies in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Name(s): Merrill, Maria W.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 2010
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
Extent: ix, 41 p. : ill. (some col.)
Language(s): English
Summary: Loggerhead sea turtles nest on either the Atlantic or Gulf coast of Florida. The hatchlings from these nests migrate offshore in opposite directions. The purpose of my study was to determine if Gulf coast hatchlings use magnetic maps, as Atlantic coast hatchlings do, both to locate areas favorable for survival in the Gulf of Mexico and to orient appropriately within surface currents that could transport them into the Atlantic Ocean. To find out, I presented Gulf coast hatchlings with magnetic fields corresponding to different locations inside the Gulf, and within currents leading into (Florida Straits) and within (Gulf Stream) the western portion of the Atlantic Ocean. I conclude that Gulf coast hatchlings (i) use a high resolution magnetic map for navigation within the Gulf of Mexico, (ii) initially remain within the eastern Gulf, but later may (iii) gain entry into currents that transport them into Atlantic waters.
Identifier: 631723328 (oclc), 2138106 (digitool), FADT2138106 (IID), fau:3416 (fedora)
Note(s): by Maria W. Merrill.
Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010.
Includes bibliography.
Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subject(s): Animal orientation
Magnetic fields
Sea turtles -- Migration -- Mexico, Gulf of
Loggerhead turtle -- Migration -- Mexico, Gulf of
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2138106
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU