Differential Effect of Pollutants on Hatchling Success of Leatherback Sea Turtles

In this work we attempted to identify the conditions that affect hatching success of sea turtles. The work presented is divided in to two areas. First, the chemical analysis and secondly the statistical evaluation of the nest contents and the nesting conditions at the nesting site. The Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) was used as a biomonitor for the presence and impact of pollutants. We hypothesized that man-made toxic chemicals differentially bioaccumulate in the mothers and are transferred to eggs, thereby reducing hatchling success. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) samples were also used as a comparison species since they nest at the same beaches. Compounds studied were polyaromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated pesticides.;We investigated the nesting conditions that are best suitable for the nesting success of the species. The nesting conditions were analyzed against air temperature, precipitation and sea surface temperature (SST). We investigated the location and date of nesting. Changing climate conditions are expected to modify the nesting sites for the populations studied. We include the analysis of the time of the start of the nesting season, the mean for the nesting season and the overall location of nesting sites.