 |
| Home | About the Lab | Publications | Research | Students | Staff | Classes | Links |
|
Stewart, KellyPh.D. student, Environment, Duke University (Fall 2002). I received my bachelor's degree in Marine Biology from the University of Guelph (1994), and my MS degree from Florida Atlantic University (2001). I have worked in a number of fields with many amazing people who helped shape my interests and led me finally to the study of sea turtles. At the moment, I am interested specifically in the Florida population of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). I have been working for the past 4 years on this project in collaboration with the Marinelife Center of Juno Beach, and this study will form the basis of my dissertation work. Although leatherback sea turtles are considered critically endangered worldwide, recent reports indicate that populations may be increasing in the Atlantic Ocean. Palm Beach County, Florida has one of the highest leatherback nesting densities in the continental United States, where we believe we may be witnessing the rapid development of a major rookery. I am interested in the triggers and mechanisms of the increase in nesting in Florida as well as the consequences of this range extension. We began a tagging program in 2001, aimed at identifying individual females and estimating the size of the Florida population. Using ATVs, we survey 20 km of coastline every night from 2100 h to 0600 h (March 15 - June 30). When we find a leatherback, we take standard morphometrics, rear flipper skin biopsies (for genetic analysis), and we also tag the turtle internally (PIT tags) and externally (metal flipper tags). Each female is carefully examined for scars and wounds that may indicate interactions with fisheries or boats and for the past 2 years, we've taken blood samples to look at the range of contaminants (PCBs and organochlorines) in nesting females. We carefully mark each leatherback nest and following hatchling emergence, we excavate the nest to determine hatch success. This year, we began a satellite tagging program in collaboration with WIDECAST and the Marinelife Center. Beatrice, one of our nesting turtles, was equipped with a satellite transmitter on May 21st, and we have been following her migration up the coast since then. See Bea's path! The Leatherback Project in the NewsDuke University - Nicholas School News and Events Press releasesPublicationsStewart, K.R., & J. Wyneken. 2004. Predation risk to loggerhead hatchlings at a high-density nesting beach in southeast Florida. Bulletin of Marine Science 74(2):325-335. Rabon, D.R. Jr., S.A. Johnson, R. Boettcher, M. Dodd, M. Lyons, S. Murphy, S. Ramsey, S. Roff, & K. Stewart. 2003. Confirmed leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nests from North Carolina, with a summary of leatherback nesting activities north of Florida. Marine Turtle Newsletter 101: 4-8. Stewart, K. & C. Johnson. 2003. 500 hours in a Jeep: documenting the start of a new rookery and an explosive increase in leatherback nesting in Florida. Page 163-164 in Proceedings of the Twenty-Second Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. J.A. Seminoff (compiler). NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-503. ContactE-mail: kelly.stewart@duke.edu |
|
|
