Note
Includes bibliography.
Member of
Contributors
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Date Issued
2023
EDTF Date Created
2023
Description
In the inter-coastal waters of Florida, green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are regularly exposed to regional blooms of harmful algae which produce biotoxins. A retrospective analysis was conducted on stranded green sea turtles along the Indian River Lagoon, FL, USA. Stranding, necropsy, and histopathology reports were analyzed for 40 juvenile turtles. Liver (N=40) and kidney (N=36) tissues were analyzed for a suite of 14 harmful algal bloom (HAB)-associated biotoxins. Thirty-four (85%) turtles tested positive for at least one biotoxin, including 21(53%) liver and 22(61%) kidney tissues. Statistically significant relationships were identified between the presence of common histopathological abnormalities and biotoxins of: melanomacrophage/hyperplasia and brevetoxin-3 (P=0.03) in liver tissues, and renal fibrosis and nodularin (P = 0.04) and lymphocytosis and neosaxitoxin (P=0.03) in kidney tissues. These data demonstrate that wild turtles are commonly exposed to HAB-associated biotoxins with potential chronic health effects that contribute to strandings in the Indian River Lagoon.
Language
Type
Form
Extent
84 p.
Subject (Topical)
Identifier
FA00014363
Rights
Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Additional Information
Includes bibliography.
Thesis (MS)--Florida Atlantic University, 2023.
FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Date Backup
2023
Date Created Backup
2023
Date Text
2023
Date Created (EDTF)
2023
Date Issued (EDTF)
2023
Extension
FAU
IID
FA00014363
Organizations
Attributed name: Florida Atlantic University
Attributed name: Department of Marine Science and Oceanography
Attributed name: Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Person Preferred Name
Brown, Hunter
author
Graduate College
Physical Description
application/pdf
84 p.
Title Plain
EXPOSURE TO ALGAL BIOTOXINS: EXPLORING HEALTH EFFECTS IN GREEN SEA TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS)
Use and Reproduction
Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Origin Information
2023
2023
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Fla.
Place
Boca Raton, Fla.
Title
EXPOSURE TO ALGAL BIOTOXINS: EXPLORING HEALTH EFFECTS IN GREEN SEA TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS)
Other Title Info
EXPOSURE TO ALGAL BIOTOXINS: EXPLORING HEALTH EFFECTS IN GREEN SEA TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS)