New Perspectives on the Pelagic Stage of Sea Turtle Development

摘要: An original difficulty in accepting the idea of a pe- lagic developmental period for sea turtles was to explain how food could be found reliable supply open ocean The uncertainty that this introduced removed when I belatedly came appreciate theprevalence and diversity convergences where downwelling gathers aligns buoyant material, in- cluding dispersedfood resources surface waters. Thus, it now seems clear an essential factor survival young turtles-and other elements epipelagic, open-oceanfauna as well-is accessibility afront, inanimate debris any floating animal or plant will gathered This new evidence complexity lost-year ecology has important implications their conservation management. It is obvious cultured are released so-called head-starting projects, release sites ought chosen with greatest care. Shores located at distance from major current its eddy avoided also necessary avoid localities convergence habitat may carry heavy loads pol- lutant& Results present work reveal urgent need further study turtle life cycles, special attention ecology. growing more pro- tracted pelagic stage, during which juvenile pas- sive migrants fronts increasingly invaded by