Use Of Molecular Techniques To Understand The Spatial And Temporal Features Of The Oceanic Stage In Hawksbill Sea Turtles, Eretmochelys Imbricata; A Thesis Proposal

For highly migratory species, it is important to understand what habitats are used and what
requirements are essential for growth and development. These migrations often span different political
and regulatory boundaries, complicating conservation strategies. The hatchlings and post-hatchlings of
most sea turtle species migrate to oceanic habitats where they remain for several years before
returning to shallow developmental habitats. For critically endangered hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys
imbricata, most research has concentrated on nesting ecology and very little is known about the posthatchling
migration. Many sea turtles then spend years in different foraging habitats before reaching
sexual maturity, and such foraging grounds typically represent a mixed stock of turtles from different
nesting beaches. Mitochondrial DNA analysis can be used to estimate genetic stock structure of mixedstock
foraging populations for sea turtles, and the duration of the post-hatchling oceanic stage can be
estimated using stable isotope analysis and satellite telemetry. Our objectives are to determine the
duration of the post-hatchling oceanic stage of development, to determine if the turtles sampled in a
particular foraging habitat represent a biased or unbiased assortment of matrilineages, and to infer
potential migratory pathways by investigating ocean currents between nesting beaches and the
foraging site. Here we discuss our methods, to determine the duration of the post-hatchling oceanic
stage and stock structure for immature hawksbills at a developmental foraging ground.