effects of beach renourishment on the nesting behavior and hatching success of the loggerhead sea turtle on Jupiter Island, Florida: A seven year study

Jupiter Island is a barrier Island on the central East Coast of Florida whose beaches are subject to severe erosion. At intervals of several years, lost sand is replaced by the addition of sand ("renourishment") from other locations. In this study, I determined the effect of sand replacement on sea turtle nesting activity, and on the survival of nests placed on renourished and an adjacent natural beach. Renourishment caused a reduction in nesting activity by the turtles, which lasted about two years. Thereafter, turtle nesting on renourished and control beaches was similar. There were no differences in nest survival between the two sites. Renourishment prevents the loss of beach and shoreline property, but is not necessarily beneficial to sea turtles.