Nest-site Selection by the Loggerhead Sea Turtle in Florida's Ten Thousand Islands

摘要: Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nest in numerous substrate and beach types within the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) of southwest Florida. Nest-site selection was analyzed on 12 islands this archipelago. Physical characteristics beaches were recorded to identify relatedness these var- iables determine their importance for nest-site C. caretta. These included ordinal aspect, length, height canopy, width, overall slope (beach offshore approach), sand samples pH, water content, organic shelliness (% calcium car- bonate content), particle size (8 classes). All physical variables, as well nesting densities locations, a tree regression model examine selection. In TTI, loggerheads use wide (>8.5 m) that inherently have less and, secondarily, shells (low amounts carbonate; >8.5 substrate. addition, caretta sites located or close proximity supra-littoral vegetation zone TTI.