The effects of nesting ground temperatures on incubation and hatchability of loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea Coast, Libya

Mahdy, Aldoushy; F. A. Ahmed, Amani; Y. M. Idris, Mahmoud; M. A. Mohamed, Ibrik; A. A. Samie, Mohamed; A. M. Mayof, Alaa; A. B. Emgower, Saadi; E.M. Said, Rashad

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2020.103646

The effects of nesting ground temperatures on incubation and hatchability of loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea Coast, Libya

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.21608/ejabf.2020.103646

Abstract

Few studies were conducted on the long-term effect of temperature on loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta nesting ground and hatchability especially on the eastern coast of Libya. The period of turtle eggs´ incubation and their hatchability are heavily influenced by the ambient environmental factors. Temperatures have gained world attention in the last decades. The current study discusses the profile habitat temperatures (air, water, and nesting ground) of C. caretta during the breeding season from June to August 2019. In addition, rainfall and moisture were assessed to address and predict the factors threatening this biotope. The current study has revealed that the two studied sites (Al-Qurdaba and Umm-Alfraes shores) differed significantly in the ecological criteria from one month to another. Also, the percentages of hatchability differed in relevant to these criteria. Because climate change is an important threat to most poikilothermic animals worldwide, this study provided background information that should be considered in predicting models about the potential effects of global warming on the success of nesting in the eastern Mediterranean Sea coast of Libya.

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