Assessment of Spatial Distributions of Sea Turtle Nests in Relation to Artificial Lighting in St. Kitts, West Indies. Reynolds, J. L. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 2017. abstract bibtex Light pollution associated with coastal development is a widely recognized threat to sea turtle populations. In addition to causing disorientation in hatchlings, artificial lighting poses a threat to sea turtles because it can deter females from nesting in suitable areas and increases nesting in lesssuitablehabitats. St. Kitts in the northeastern Caribbean Sea is an important nesting area for the endangered green (Chelonia mydas) and critically endangered hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles and St. Kitts has had a significant rise in tourism-related development. We used records of turtle nesting events from 2005 to 2017 and GIS data on vegetation cover and light levels along seven beaches in St. Kitts, and we modeled the effects of beach lighting and vegetation on the probability that a turtle would nest at a beach location, and the probability that a nesting attempt would result in a “false crawl” where the female abandons the nesting effort. We hypothesized that the probability of a turtle nesting at a location would be negatively correlated with light levels and positively correlated with low vegetation. We also hypothesized that the probability of a false crawl would be positively correlated with light levels and negatively correlated with low vegetation cover. We found that beach lighting levels varied by several orders of magnitude with the highest levels concentrated on Banana Bay near an area of recent resort development. Contrary to our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with beach light levels; however, consistent with our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with the coverage of low vegetation (primarily Manchineel trees and Sea grapes). The probability of a false crawl was not correlated with beach lighting, but consistent with our hypothesis, was negatively correlated with the amount of low vegetation. Because turtles show high natal nests site philopatry, the positively correlation between beach lighting and the probability of a turtle nesting may be an artifact of the recent development and lighting of beaches that have historically supported high numbers of nesting turtles. The positive effects of vegetation on both the likelihood of nesting and reduced likelihood of a false crawl suggests that removal of vegetation associated with beach front development could negatively affect Hawksbill and Green turtle nesting.
@phdthesis{reynolds_assessment_2017,
address = {Athens, Georgia},
type = {Senior {Thesis}},
title = {Assessment of {Spatial} {Distributions} of {Sea} {Turtle} {Nests} in {Relation} to {Artificial} {Lighting} in {St}. {Kitts}, {West} {Indies}},
abstract = {Light pollution associated with coastal development is a widely recognized threat to sea turtle populations. In addition to causing disorientation in hatchlings, artificial lighting poses a threat to sea turtles because it can deter females from nesting in suitable areas and increases nesting in lesssuitablehabitats. St. Kitts in the northeastern Caribbean Sea is an important nesting area for the endangered green (Chelonia mydas) and critically endangered hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles and St. Kitts has had a significant rise in tourism-related development. We used records of turtle nesting events from 2005 to 2017 and GIS data on vegetation cover and light levels along seven beaches in St. Kitts, and we modeled the effects of beach lighting and vegetation on the probability that a turtle would nest at a beach location, and the probability that a nesting attempt would result in a “false crawl” where the female abandons the nesting effort. We hypothesized that the probability of a turtle nesting at a location would be negatively correlated with light levels and positively correlated with low vegetation. We also hypothesized that the probability of a false crawl would be positively correlated with light levels and negatively correlated with low vegetation cover. We found that beach lighting levels varied by several orders of magnitude with the highest levels concentrated on Banana Bay near an area of recent resort development. Contrary to our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with beach light levels; however, consistent with our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with the coverage of low vegetation (primarily Manchineel trees and Sea grapes). The probability of a false crawl was not correlated with beach lighting, but consistent with our hypothesis, was negatively correlated with the amount of low vegetation. Because turtles show high natal nests site philopatry, the positively correlation between beach lighting and the probability of a turtle nesting may be an artifact of the recent development and lighting of beaches that have historically supported high numbers of nesting turtles. The positive effects of vegetation on both the likelihood of nesting and reduced likelihood of a false crawl suggests that removal of vegetation associated with beach front development could negatively affect Hawksbill and Green turtle nesting.},
language = {en},
school = {University of Georgia},
author = {Reynolds, Jessica Lauren},
year = {2017},
}
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We used records of turtle nesting events from 2005 to 2017 and GIS data on vegetation cover and light levels along seven beaches in St. Kitts, and we modeled the effects of beach lighting and vegetation on the probability that a turtle would nest at a beach location, and the probability that a nesting attempt would result in a “false crawl” where the female abandons the nesting effort. We hypothesized that the probability of a turtle nesting at a location would be negatively correlated with light levels and positively correlated with low vegetation. We also hypothesized that the probability of a false crawl would be positively correlated with light levels and negatively correlated with low vegetation cover. We found that beach lighting levels varied by several orders of magnitude with the highest levels concentrated on Banana Bay near an area of recent resort development. Contrary to our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with beach light levels; however, consistent with our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with the coverage of low vegetation (primarily Manchineel trees and Sea grapes). The probability of a false crawl was not correlated with beach lighting, but consistent with our hypothesis, was negatively correlated with the amount of low vegetation. Because turtles show high natal nests site philopatry, the positively correlation between beach lighting and the probability of a turtle nesting may be an artifact of the recent development and lighting of beaches that have historically supported high numbers of nesting turtles. The positive effects of vegetation on both the likelihood of nesting and reduced likelihood of a false crawl suggests that removal of vegetation associated with beach front development could negatively affect Hawksbill and Green turtle nesting.","language":"en","school":"University of Georgia","author":[{"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Reynolds"],"firstnames":["Jessica","Lauren"],"suffixes":[]}],"year":"2017","bibtex":"@phdthesis{reynolds_assessment_2017,\n\taddress = {Athens, Georgia},\n\ttype = {Senior {Thesis}},\n\ttitle = {Assessment of {Spatial} {Distributions} of {Sea} {Turtle} {Nests} in {Relation} to {Artificial} {Lighting} in {St}. {Kitts}, {West} {Indies}},\n\tabstract = {Light pollution associated with coastal development is a widely recognized threat to sea turtle populations. In addition to causing disorientation in hatchlings, artificial lighting poses a threat to sea turtles because it can deter females from nesting in suitable areas and increases nesting in lesssuitablehabitats. St. Kitts in the northeastern Caribbean Sea is an important nesting area for the endangered green (Chelonia mydas) and critically endangered hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles and St. Kitts has had a significant rise in tourism-related development. We used records of turtle nesting events from 2005 to 2017 and GIS data on vegetation cover and light levels along seven beaches in St. Kitts, and we modeled the effects of beach lighting and vegetation on the probability that a turtle would nest at a beach location, and the probability that a nesting attempt would result in a “false crawl” where the female abandons the nesting effort. We hypothesized that the probability of a turtle nesting at a location would be negatively correlated with light levels and positively correlated with low vegetation. We also hypothesized that the probability of a false crawl would be positively correlated with light levels and negatively correlated with low vegetation cover. We found that beach lighting levels varied by several orders of magnitude with the highest levels concentrated on Banana Bay near an area of recent resort development. Contrary to our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with beach light levels; however, consistent with our hypothesis, the probability of nesting was positively correlated with the coverage of low vegetation (primarily Manchineel trees and Sea grapes). The probability of a false crawl was not correlated with beach lighting, but consistent with our hypothesis, was negatively correlated with the amount of low vegetation. Because turtles show high natal nests site philopatry, the positively correlation between beach lighting and the probability of a turtle nesting may be an artifact of the recent development and lighting of beaches that have historically supported high numbers of nesting turtles. The positive effects of vegetation on both the likelihood of nesting and reduced likelihood of a false crawl suggests that removal of vegetation associated with beach front development could negatively affect Hawksbill and Green turtle nesting.},\n\tlanguage = {en},\n\tschool = {University of Georgia},\n\tauthor = {Reynolds, Jessica Lauren},\n\tyear = {2017},\n}\n\n\n\n","author_short":["Reynolds, J. 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