Using genetic and global Lagrangian drifter data to investigate the dispersal of small juvenile green turtles in the Atlantic
Patricia L.M. Lee
Swansea University
(Abstract received 08/14/2009 for session E)
ABSTRACT
Green turtle hatchlings disperse away from their natal location to spend an early pelagic stage in the ocean. This is quickly followed by a neritic stage, where small juveniles settle in coastal areas. Here, we compared the DNA data of small juveniles sampled in foraging groups, with those of samples collected from nesting populations from around the Atlantic. This showed that small juvenile foraging groups are highly mixed compared with nesting populations, implying that drift has a strong role in dispersing the turtles at a trans-Atlantic scale after hatching. Global Lagrangian Drifter Data was then employed to better understand the dispersal patterns revealed by the genetic analysis.
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