research paper about a marine(sea anemones)
RCY7
ExampleBasicInfoSummary_HawksbillSeaTurlte1.docxThe hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is widely recognized for the overlapping amber colored scutes that make up its once highly sought after shell (NOAA 2020, Figure 1). Weighing up to 70 kg with lengths from 65 to 90 cm, hawksbills are considered medium-sized sea turtles. Due to the distribution and limited numbers of the species, an exact lifespan is not definite; however it is known that they reach sexual maturity around 25 years (NOAA 2020). Hawksbills have claws on each flipper, and their unique beak-like mouths are useful in foraging for sponges on coral reefs (NOAA 2020). Hawksbill turtles can be found in tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans in and around coral reefs (NOAA 2020). In areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean, hawksbills can also be found in mangrove estuaries (Gaos et al. 2012). A study of migratory females in the Caribbean has gathered data that shows distances traveled of up to 175 km from the beaches they were tagged at (Horrocks et al. 2011). Similar to other species of sea turtles, hawksbills return to their natal beaches to nest. On average, a hawksbill turtle lays its eggs four to five times per season, with clutches ranging from 140 to 200 eggs (FWS 2018). Additionally, in the eastern Pacific juvenile hawksbills have been observed returning to areas near their natal beaches to forage rather than solely to nest (Gaos et al. 2017). Because this species relies on coral reefs for sustenance, the two are interdependent in terms of survival. In a coral reef ecosystem, hawksbill turtles feed mainly on invasive sponges; this keeps populations down which allows the reef to thrive. If sponge populations were to go unregulated, they would likely overpopulate growing coral reefs (US Fish and Wildlife 2018). Additionally, this allows for other species to inhabit coral reefs. Hawksbills receive most, if not all, of their food from coral reefs, which is why their connection to these ecosystems is arguably more important than other species of sea turtles (Becker et al. 2019). Coral reefs are especially critical to younger hawksbill turtles for foraging and subsistence purposes; in relation to overall hawksbill populations, juveniles and subadults have been observed spending the most time in and around coral reefs (Becker et al. 2019). A study of juvenile hawksbills in the Caribbean concluded that roughly 67% of their diet comprised of sponges (Leon and Bjorndal 2002). Hawksbills are omnivores; in addition to sponges, they feed on reef-dwelling fish, crustaceans, and algae (NOAA 2020). Threats to coral reefs include climate change and overfishing, which emphasizes how interconnected hawksbills and reefs are; without them, hawksbills would not have access to an abundant food source.
Becker, Sarah L., Russell E. Brainard, and Kyle Van Houtan S. "Densities and Drivers of Sea Turtle Populations Across Pacific Coral Reef Ecosystems." PLoS One, vol. 14, no. 4, 2019. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/2214461048?accountid=14784, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214972.
Gaos, Alexander R., et al. “Spatial Ecology of Critically Endangered Hawksbill Turtles Eretmochelys Imbricata: Implications for Management and Conservation.” Marine Ecology Progress Series, vol. 450, 2012, pp. 181–194. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24875904. Accessed 3 Feb. 2020.
“Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys Imbricata).” Official Web Page of the U S Fish and Wildlife Service, 17 Feb. 2018, https://www.fws.gov/northflorida/SeaTurtles/Turtle%20Factsheets/hawksbill-sea-turtle.ht m.
“Hawksbill Turtle.” NOAA, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/hawksbill-turtle#overview.
Horrocks, Julia A., et al. "International Movements of Adult Female Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata): First Results from the Caribbean's Marine Turtle Tagging Centre." Chelonian Conservation and Biology, vol. 10, no. 1, 2011, pp. 18-25. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/884332777?accountid=14784.
