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Genetic structure of the southeastern United States loggerhead turtle nesting aggregation: evidence of additional structure within the peninsular Florida recovery unit |
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| Authors: | Brian M Shamblin Mark G Dodd Dean A Bagley Llewellyn M Ehrhart Anton D Tucker Chris Johnson Raymond R Carthy Russell A Scarpino Erin McMichael David S Addison Kristina L Williams Michael G Frick Stefanie Ouellette Anne B Meylan Matthew H Godfrey Sally R Murphy Campbell J Nairn |
| Institution: | 1. Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA 2. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 1 Conservation Way, Brunswick, GA, 31520, USA 3. Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA 4. Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA 5. Loggerhead Marinelife Center, 14220 US Highway 1, Juno Beach, FL, 33408, USA 6. Florida Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110485, Gainesville, FL, USA 7. Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples, FL, 34102, USA 8. Caretta Research Project, P.O. Box 9841, Savannah, GA, 31412, USA 9. Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania, FL, 33004, USA 10. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 8th Avenue Southeast, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA 11. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, 1507 Ann Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA 12. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (retired), PO Box 136, Sheldon, SC, 29941, USA |
| Abstract: | The southeastern United States supports one of two large loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting aggregations worldwide and is therefore critical to global conservation and recovery efforts for the species. Previous studies have established the presence of four demographically distinct nesting populations (management units) corresponding to beaches from (1) North Carolina through northeastern Florida, (2) peninsular Florida, (3) the Dry Tortugas, and (4) northwest Florida. Temporal and geographic genetic structure of the nesting aggregation was examined utilizing partial mitochondrial control region haplotype frequencies from 834 samples collected over the 2002 through 2008 nesting seasons from 19 beaches as well as previously published haplotype data. Most rookeries did not exhibit interannual genetic variation. However, the interannual variation detected did significantly impact the interpretation of spatial genetic structure in northeastern Florida. Based on pairwise F ST comparisons, exact tests of population differentiation, and analysis of molecular variance, the present study upholds the distinctiveness of the four currently recognized management units and further supports recognition of discrete central eastern, southern (southeastern and southwestern), and central western Florida management units. Further subdivision may be warranted, but more intensive genetic sampling is required. In addition, tools such as telemetry and mark-recapture are needed to complement genetic data and overcome limitations of genetic markers in resolving loggerhead turtle rookery connectivity in the southeastern USA. |
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