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120-413: The park extends across both terrestrial and aquatic areas of Golfo Triste. It covers 32,090 ha (79,300 acres). It contains an area of mangroves and numerous islets or cays , including Borracho, Muerto, Sombrero, Sal, Las Animas, and Peraza. White sand beaches on these cays include Mero, Paiclas, Los Juanes, Playuela, Tucupido, Azul and Boca Seca. The park's bays, mangroves, cays and islands sit in

240-555: A basis for the development of a bio-inspired method of desalination . Uptake of Na ions is desirable for halophytes to build up osmotic potential , absorb water and sustain turgor pressure . However, excess Na ions may work on toxic element. Therefore, halophytes try to adjust salinity delicately between growth and survival strategies. In this point of view, a novel sustainable desalination method can be derived from halophytes, which are in contact with saline water through their roots. Halophytes exclude salt through their roots, secrete

360-589: A complex salt filtration system and a complex root system to cope with saltwater immersion and wave action. They are adapted to the low-oxygen conditions of waterlogged mud, but are most likely to thrive in the upper half of the intertidal zone . The mangrove biome , often called the mangrove forest or mangal, is a distinct saline woodland or shrubland habitat characterized by depositional coastal environments, where fine sediments (often with high organic content) collect in areas protected from high-energy wave action. Mangrove forests serve as vital habitats for

480-468: A critical food source for larger predators like birds, reptiles, and mammals within the ecosystem. Additionally, mangrove forests function as essential nurseries for many commercially important fish species, providing a sheltered environment rich in nutrients during their early life stages. The decomposition of leaves and organic matter in the water further enhances the nutrient content, supporting overall ecosystem productivity. In summary, mangrove forests play

600-517: A critical role in conserving olive ridleys. Lastly, enforcing the use of turtle excluder devices in the shrimp-trawling industry has also proved effective in some areas. Globally, the olive ridley continues to receive less conservation attention than its close relative, Kemp's ridley ( L. kempii ). Also, many schools arrange trips for students to carry out the conservation project, especially in India. Another major project in India involved in preserving

720-434: A crucial and unbiased role in sustaining biodiversity and ecological balance within coastal food webs. Larger marine organisms benefit from the habitat as a nursery for their offspring. Lemon sharks depend on mangrove creeks to give birth to their pups. The ecosystem provides little competition and minimizes threats of predation to juvenile lemon sharks as they use the cover of mangroves to practice hunting before entering

840-534: A diverse array of aquatic species, offering a unique ecosystem that supports the intricate interplay of marine life and terrestrial vegetation. The saline conditions tolerated by various mangrove species range from brackish water, through pure seawater (3 to 4% salinity), to water concentrated by evaporation to over twice the salinity of ocean seawater (up to 9% salinity). Beginning in 2010, remote sensing technologies and global data have been used to assess areas, conditions and deforestation rates of mangroves around

960-499: A dramatic decrease of 28 to 32% in the global population within only one generation (i.e., 20 years). Olive ridley sea turtles are considered the most abundant, yet globally they have declined by more than 30% from historic levels. These turtles are considered endangered because of their few remaining nesting sites in the world. The eastern Pacific turtles have been found to range from Baja California , Mexico, to Chile. Pacific olive ridleys nest around Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, and

1080-528: A favorite food of the green turtle. The park is inhabited by about 266 species of birds, as reported by the Cuare Wildlife Refuge. Because Morrocoy National Park and Wildlife Refuge Cuare are located in the same geographic area, it is inferred that the avifauna has a similar composition. Some notable bird species are the osprey ; vulnerable species such as American flamingo , tricolored heron and brown pelican ; species whose preferred habitat

1200-452: A fundamental environmental index for future reference. Mangrove forests are one of the most carbon-rich biomes, accounting for 11% of the total input of terrestrial carbon into oceans. Viruses are thought to significantly influence local and global biogeochemical cycles , though as of 2019 little information was available about the community structure, genetic diversity and ecological roles of viruses in mangrove ecosystems. Viruses are

1320-470: A given mangrove swamp typically features only a small number of tree species. It is not uncommon for a mangrove forest in the Caribbean to feature only three or four tree species. For comparison, the tropical rainforest biome contains thousands of tree species, but this is not to say mangrove forests lack diversity. Though the trees themselves are few in species, the ecosystem that these trees create provides

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1440-622: A global annual deforestation rate estimated at 0.16%, and per-country rates as high as 0.70%. Degradation in quality of remaining mangroves is also an important concern. There is interest in mangrove restoration for several reasons. Mangroves support sustainable coastal and marine ecosystems. They protect nearby areas from tsunamis and extreme weather events. Mangrove forests are also effective at carbon sequestration and storage. The success of mangrove restoration may depend heavily on engagement with local stakeholders, and on careful assessment to ensure that growing conditions will be suitable for

1560-464: A hierarchical, triple layered pore structure in the epidermis and most Na ions are filtered at the first sublayer of the outermost layer. The high blockage of Na ions is attributed to the high surface zeta potential of the first layer. The second layer, which is composed of macroporous structures , also facilitates Na ion filtration. The study provides insights into the mechanism underlying water filtration through halophyte roots and could serve as

1680-411: A higher concentration of white mangroves. Mangrove forests are an important part of the cycling and storage of carbon in tropical coastal ecosystems. Knowing this, scientists seek to reconstruct the environment and investigate changes to the coastal ecosystem over thousands of years using sediment cores. However, an additional complication is the imported marine organic matter that also gets deposited in

1800-480: A home (habitat) for a great variety of other species, including as many as 174 species of marine megafauna . Mangrove plants require a number of physiological adaptations to overcome the problems of low environmental oxygen levels, high salinity , and frequent tidal flooding . Each species has its own solutions to these problems; this may be the primary reason why, on some shorelines, mangrove tree species show distinct zonation. Small environmental variations within

1920-410: A key role in maintaining prey species along coastlines and within mangrove ecosystems. Mangrove forests can decay into peat deposits because of fungal and bacterial processes as well as by the action of termites . It becomes peat in good geochemical , sedimentary, and tectonic conditions. The nature of these deposits depends on the environment and the types of mangroves involved. In Puerto Rico ,

2040-407: A long history to survive against harsh environmental conditions. In this harsh environment, mangroves have evolved a special mechanism to help their offspring survive. Mangrove seeds are buoyant and are therefore suited to water dispersal. Unlike most plants, whose seeds germinate in soil, many mangroves (e.g. red mangrove ) are viviparous , meaning their seeds germinate while still attached to

2160-409: A longer and thicker tail, which is used for copulation , and the presence of enlarged and hooked claws on the male's front flippers allows him to grasp the female's carapace during copulation. The male also has a longer, more tapered carapace than the female, which has a rounded, dome-like carapace. The male also has a more concave plastron, believed to be another adaptation for mating. The plastron of

2280-457: A mangal may lead to greatly differing methods for coping with the environment. Therefore, the mix of species is partly determined by the tolerances of individual species to physical conditions, such as tidal flooding and salinity, but may also be influenced by other factors, such as crabs preying on plant seedlings. Once established, mangrove roots provide an oyster habitat and slow water flow, thereby enhancing sediment deposition in areas where it

2400-446: A mixed-sex clutch. Hatching success can vary by beach and year, due to changing environmental conditions and rates of nest predation. Most observations are typically within 15 km of mainland shores in protected, relatively shallow marine waters (22–55 m deep). Olive ridleys are occasionally found in open waters. The multiple habitats and geographical localities used by this species vary throughout its lifecycle. The olive ridley

2520-451: A quiet marine habitat for young organisms. In areas where roots are permanently submerged, the organisms they host include algae , barnacles , oysters , sponges , and bryozoans , which all require a hard surface for anchoring while they filter-feed. Shrimps and mud lobsters use the muddy bottoms as their home. Mangrove crabs eat the mangrove leaves, adding nutrients to the mangal mud for other bottom feeders. In at least some cases,

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2640-455: A recent analysis of Pacific Ocean Virome data identified niche-specialised AMGs that contribute to depth-stratified host adaptations. Given that microbes drive global biogeochemical cycles, and a large fraction of microbes is infected by viruses at any given time, viral-encoded AMGs must play important roles in global biogeochemistry and microbial metabolic evolution. Mangrove forests are the only woody halophytes that live in salt water along

2760-570: A repertoire of microbial taxa that contribute to important ecological functions in mangrove ecosystems. Like typical terrestrial plants, mangroves depend upon mutually beneficial interactions with microbial communities. In particular, microbes residing in developed roots could help mangroves transform nutrients into usable forms before plant assimilation. These microbes also provide mangroves phytohormones for suppressing phytopathogens or helping mangroves withstand heat and salinity. In turn, root-associated microbes receive carbon metabolites from

2880-433: A slightly more rounded carapace as compared to males. The heart-shaped carapace is characterized by four pairs of pore-bearing inframarginal scutes on the bridge, two pairs of prefrontals, and up to nine lateral scutes per side. L. olivacea is unique in that it can have variable and asymmetrical lateral scute counts, ranging from five to nine plates on each side, with six to eight being most commonly observed. Each side of

3000-752: A third arribada beach seems to be emerging at Corozalito. Two active arribada beaches are located in Nicaragua, Chacocente and La Flor, with a smaller arribada beach of unknown status on the Pacific coast of Panama. Historically, arribadas happened at several beaches in Mexico, but in the present arribadas are only observed at Playa Escobilla and Morro Ayuda in Oaxaca, and Ixtapilla in Michoacan. Although olive ridleys are famed for their arribadas , most of

3120-402: A week, simulating frequent tropical rainstorms. A 2016 study by Kim et al. investigated the biophysical characteristics of sea water filtration in the roots of the mangrove Rhizophora stylosa from a plant hydrodynamic point of view. R. stylosa can grow even in saline water and the salt level in its roots is regulated within a certain threshold value through filtration. The root possesses

3240-405: A year before arriving in a suitable environment. Once a propagule is ready to root, its density changes so that the elongated shape now floats vertically rather than horizontally. In this position, it is more likely to lodge in the mud and root. If it does not root, it can alter its density and drift again in search of more favorable conditions. The following listings, based on Tomlinson, 2016, give

3360-497: Is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water . Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen and remove salt, allowing them to tolerate conditions that kill most plants. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse due to convergent evolution in several plant families. They occur worldwide in

3480-499: Is a signatory nation to all these conventions. The homing characteristics of the ridley sea turtles make them more prone to mass casualty. The voyage to the natal nesting beaches is the dooming factor for them. Since Gahirmatha coast serves as the natal nesting beach for millions of turtles, it has immense importance on turtle conservation. Olive ridleys generally begin to aggregate near nesting beaches about two months before nesting season, although this may vary throughout their range. In

3600-655: Is about one month. Mean clutch size varies throughout its range and decreases with each nesting attempt. A mean clutch size of 116 (30–168 eggs) was observed in Suriname , while nesting females from the eastern Pacific were found to have an average of 105 (74–126 eggs). The incubation period is usually between 45 and 51 days under natural conditions, but may extend to 70 days in poor weather conditions. Eggs incubated at temperatures of 31 to 32 °C produce only females; eggs incubated at 28 °C or less produce solely males; and incubation temperatures of 29 to 30 °C produce

3720-705: Is already occurring. The fine, anoxic sediments under mangroves act as sinks for a variety of heavy (trace) metals which colloidal particles in the sediments have concentrated from the water. Mangrove removal disturbs these underlying sediments, often creating problems of trace metal contamination of seawater and organisms of the area. Mangrove swamps protect coastal areas from erosion , storm surge (especially during tropical cyclones ), and tsunamis . They limit high-energy wave erosion mainly during events such as storm surges and tsunamis. The mangroves' massive root systems are efficient at dissipating wave energy. Likewise, they slow down tidal water so that its sediment

Morrocoy National Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

3840-735: Is also a diverse range of insects. From Caracas , one takes the Central Regional Highway past Guacara (approximately 140 km). A variant is taking the highway via Yagua to Puerto Cabello. In the Morón, one takes the highway Morón-Tucacas and, after traveling 40 km, one reaches the entrance to Morrocoy National Park. Morrocoy National Park has a wide range of landscapes. Beaches include Sombrero Cay, Playuela, Playuelita, Alemán Cay, Mayorquina, Pescadores Cay, Mero Beach, Punta Brava, Boca Paiclás, Boca Seca, Los Juanes, Bajo Caimán, Tucupido, Sal Cay and Borracho Cay. Three islets outside

3960-416: Is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving all except fine particles when the tide ebbs. In this way, mangroves build their environments. Because of the uniqueness of mangrove ecosystems and the protection against erosion they provide, they are often the object of conservation programs, including national biodiversity action plans . The unique ecosystem found in the intricate mesh of mangrove roots offers

4080-526: Is derived from the Greek words lepidos , meaning scale, and chelys , which translates to turtle. This could possibly be a reference to the supernumerary costal scutes characteristic of this genus. The etymology of the English vernacular name "olive" is somewhat easier to resolve, as its carapace is olive green in color. However, the origin of "ridley" is unknown, perhaps derived from "riddle". Lepidochelys

4200-408: Is essential. Additionally, the intermittent flooding of sea water and resulting sharp transition of mangrove environments may result in substantially different genetic and functional diversity of bacterial and viral communities in mangrove soils compared with those of other systems. Olive ridley sea turtle The olive ridley sea turtle ( Lepidochelys olivacea ), also known commonly as

4320-581: Is listed as a major threat for this species. Coastal development, natural disasters, climate change , and other sources of beach erosion have also been cited as potential threats to nesting grounds. Additionally, coastal development also threatens newly hatched turtles through the effects of light pollution. Hatchlings which use light cues to orient themselves to the sea are now misled into moving towards land, and die from dehydration or exhaustion, or are killed on roads. The greatest single cause of olive ridley egg loss, though, results from arribadas , in which

4440-708: Is predominantly carnivorous. Common prey items include tunicates ( salps and sea squirts ), starfish , sea urchins , bryozoans , squid , bivalves , snails, barnacles, shrimp, crabs, rock lobsters, and sipunculid worms. Additionally, consumption of jellyfish and both adult fish (e.g. Sphoeroides ) and fish eggs may be indicative of pelagic (open ocean) feeding. The olive ridley is also known to feed on filamentous algae in areas devoid of other food sources. Captive studies have indicated some level of cannibalistic behavior in this species. Known predators of olive ridley eggs include raccoons, coyotes, feral dogs and pigs, opossums , coatimundi, caimans , ghost crabs , and

4560-461: Is reported to be higher than in well-preserved mangroves Studies comparing mangroves in different conservation states show that bacterial composition in disturbed mangrove sediment alters its structure, leading to a functional equilibrium, where the dynamics of chemicals in mangrove soils lead to the remodeling of its microbial structure. Despite many research advancements in mangrove sediment bacterial metagenomics diversity in various conditions over

4680-492: Is stored in soil and sizable belowground pools of dead roots, aiding in the conservation and recycling of nutrients beneath forests. Although mangroves cover only 0.5% of the earth's coastal area, they account for 10–15% of the coastal sediment carbon storage and 10–11% of the total input of terrestrial carbon into oceans. The disproportionate contribution of mangroves to carbon sequestration is now perceived as an important means to counterbalance greenhouse gas emissions. Despite

4800-631: Is stored in the sediment and the carbon cycle continues. Mangroves are an important source of blue carbon . Globally, mangroves stored 4.19 Gt (9.2 × 10  lb) of carbon in 2012. Two percent of global mangrove carbon was lost between 2000 and 2012, equivalent to a maximum potential of 0.316996250 Gt (6.9885710 × 10  lb) of emissions of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere . Globally, mangroves have been shown to provide measurable economic protections to coastal communities affected by tropical storms. Plant microbiomes play crucial roles in

4920-519: Is the mangrove such as neotropic cormorant , snowy egret , scaled piculet , orange-winged amazon and scarlet ibis ; and species with restricted distribution such as the magnificent frigatebird . The mangroves of Morrocoy Bay act as bird sanctuaries, especially on the mangrove-covered island of Pájaros in the central area of the park. Morrocoy has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of many bird species. Mammals include

Morrocoy National Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

5040-712: Is the largest breeding ground for these turtles. The Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, which bounds the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary to the east, was created in September 1997, and encompasses Gahirmatha Beach and an adjacent portion of the Bay of Bengal. Bhitarkanika mangroves were designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2002. It is the world's largest known rookery of olive ridley sea turtles. Apart from Gahirmatha rookery, two other mass nesting beaches have been located, which are on

5160-409: Is the only genus of sea turtles containing more than one extant species: L. olivacea and the closely related L. kempii (Kemp's ridley). Growing to about 61 cm (2 ft) in carapace length (measured along the curve), the olive ridley sea turtle gets its common name from its olive-colored carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded. Males and females grow to the same size, but females have

5280-417: Is unknown, but this can be somewhat inferred from data on minimum breeding size. For example, the average carapace length of nesting females (n = 251) at Playa Nancite, Costa Rica, was determined to be 63.3 cm, with the smallest recorded at 54.0 cm. Females can lay up to three clutches per season, but most only lay one or two clutches. The female remains near shore for the internesting period, which

5400-502: The American crocodile , all considered threatened . Fish breeding in the park include grouper , snapper , corvina, tarpon , snook , toadfish , school shark , sardines , mackerel , grunt , barracuda and the many species that inhabit the coral reefs . Shellfish species are the mangrove oyster, sea hares , quigua , spiny lobsters ( Panulirus argus and Panulirus guttatus ), blue and red crabs and other species. There

5520-647: The Coromandel Coast and Sri Lanka , but in scattered locations. However, olive ridleys are considered a rarity in most areas of the Indian Ocean. Some nesting populations exist in islands of Bangladesh near Cox's Bazar . They are also rare in the western and central Pacific, with known arribadas occurring only within the tropical eastern Pacific, in Central America and Mexico. In Costa Rica, they occur at Nancite and Ostional beach, and

5640-568: The Malay language manggi-manggi The English usage may reflect a corruption via folk etymology of the words mangrow and grove . The word "mangrove" is used in at least three senses: According to Hogarth (2015), among the recognized mangrove species there are about 70 species in 20 genera from 16 families that constitute the "true mangroves" – species that occur almost exclusively in mangrove habitats. Demonstrating convergent evolution , many of these species found similar solutions to

5760-628: The Pacific ridley sea turtle , is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae . The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world. L. olivacea is found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but also in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This turtle and the related Kemp's ridley sea turtle are best known for their unique synchronised mass nestings called arribadas , where thousands of females come together on

5880-480: The bulk soil outside the rhizosphere . Furthermore, it was noted that the root episphere, rather than the rhizosphere, was primarily responsible for controlling the entry of specific microbial populations into the root, resulting in the selective enrichment of Proteobacteria in the endosphere. These findings provide new insights into the niche differentiation of root-associated microbial communities, Nevertheless, amplicon-based community profiling may not provide

6000-488: The dolphins and whales that use the park as a refuge. Land mammals are found mainly in the Chichiriviche Hill area, including brocket and white-tailed deer , anteaters , crab-eating foxes , howler monkeys , three-toed sloths , opossums , pacas , agoutis and peccaries . Marine reptiles include various turtle species such as green , hawksbill , leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles as well as

6120-420: The red , white , and black mangroves occupy different ecological niches and have slightly different chemical compositions, so the carbon content varies between the species, as well between the different tissues of the plant (e.g., leaf matter versus roots). In Puerto Rico, there is a clear succession of these three trees from the lower elevations, which are dominated by red mangroves, to farther inland with

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6240-483: The sunbeam snake . Hatchlings are preyed upon as they travel across the beach to the water by vultures, frigate birds , crabs, raccoons , coyotes , iguanas , and snakes. In the water, hatchling predators most likely include oceanic fishes , sharks , and crocodiles. Adults have relatively few known predators, other than sharks and crocodiles , and killer whales are responsible for occasional attacks. On land, nesting females may be attacked by jaguars . Notably,

6360-640: The tropics and subtropics and even some temperate coastal areas, mainly between latitudes 30° N and 30° S, with the greatest mangrove area within 5° of the equator . Mangrove plant families first appeared during the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene epochs and became widely distributed in part due to the movement of tectonic plates . The oldest known fossils of mangrove palm date to 75 million years ago. Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees, shrubs and ferns also called halophytes , and are adapted to live in harsh coastal conditions. They contain

6480-602: The Harvest , offers a glimpse into this world and the debate surrounding it. The olive ridley is classified as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources , and is listed in Appendix I of CITES . These listings were largely responsible for halting the large-scale commercial exploitation and trade of olive ridley skins. The Convention on Migratory Species and

6600-788: The Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea near Honavar in Karnataka , the majority of Olive Ridleys nest in two or three large assemblies near Gahirmatha in Odisha . The coast of Odisha in India is one of the largest mass nesting sites for the Olive Ridley, along with the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica. In 1991, over 600,000 turtles nested along the coast of Odisha in one week. Solitary nesting also occurs in Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal & along

6720-767: The Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles have also provided olive ridleys with protection, leading to increased conservation and management for this marine turtle. National listings for this species range from endangered to threatened , yet enforcing these sanctions on a global scale has been unsuccessful for the most part. Conservation successes for the olive ridley have relied on well-coordinated national programs in combination with local communities and nongovernment organizations, which focused primarily on public outreach and education. Arribada management has also played

6840-538: The North Island but become low scrub toward their southern limit. In both instances, the species is referred to as Avicennia marina var. australis , although genetic comparison is clearly needed. In Western Australia, A. marina extends as far south as Bunbury (33° 19'S). In the northern hemisphere, scrubby Avicennia gerrninans in Florida occurs as far north as St. Augustine on the east coast and Cedar Point on

6960-551: The accumulated salt through their aerial parts and sequester salt in senescent leaves and/or the bark. Mangroves are facultative halophytes and Bruguiera is known for its special ultrafiltration system that can filter approximately 90% of Na ions from the surrounding seawater through the roots. The species also exhibits a high rate of salt rejection. The water-filtering process in mangrove roots has received considerable attention for several decades. Morphological structures of plants and their functions have been evolved through

7080-440: The area of the park, Norte, Medio Cay, and Sur Cay, about 13 km (8 mi) from Tucacas, are in a Special Protection Area. Los Juanes is part of Morrocoy National Park, with access only by sea by private boat or small fishing boat. It has two islands ideal for snorkeling over coral reefs and among mangroves. [REDACTED] Media related to Parque Nacional Morrocoy at Wikimedia Commons Mangrove A mangrove

7200-433: The carapace has 12–14 marginal scutes. The carapace is flattened dorsally and highest anterior to the bridge. it has a medium-sized, broad head that appears triangular from above. The head's concave sides are most obvious on the upper part of the short snout. It has paddle-like fore limbs, each having two anterior claws. The upper parts are grayish-green to olive in color, but sometimes appear reddish due to algae growing on

7320-418: The carapace. The bridge and hingeless plastron of an adult vary from greenish white in younger individuals to a creamy yellow in older specimens (maximum age is up to 50 years). Hatchlings are dark gray with a pale yolk scar, but appear all black when wet. Carapace length of hatchlings ranges from 37 to 50 mm (1.5 to 2.0 in). A thin, white line borders the carapace, as well as the trailing edge of

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7440-486: The density of nesting females is so high, previously laid nests are inadvertently dug up and destroyed by other nesting females. In some cases, nests become cross-contaminated by bacteria or pathogens of rotting nests. For example, in Playa Nancite, Costa Rica, only 0.2% of the 11.5 million eggs produced in a single arribada successfully hatched. Although some of this loss resulted from predation and high tides,

7560-530: The eastern Pacific Ocean from the Galápagos Islands and Chile north to the Gulf of California , and along the Pacific coast to at least Oregon. Migratory movements have been studied less intensely in olive ridleys than other species of marine turtles, but they are believed to use the coastal waters of over 80 countries. Historically, this species has been widely regarded as the most abundant sea turtle in

7680-420: The eastern Pacific, nesting occurs throughout the year, with peak nesting events ( arribadas ) occurring between September and December. Nesting beaches can be characterized as relatively flat, midbeach zone, and free of debris. Beach fidelity is common, but not absolute. Nesting events are usually nocturnal, but diurnal nesting has been reported, especially during large arribadas . Exact age of sexual maturity

7800-481: The eastern slopes of the Chichiriviche hills, the xerophytic vegetation of the cactus family can be seen. Red , black , white and buttonwood mangroves are the dominant vegetation and landscape of the park and form a unit that preserves the ecologically fragile balance of the coastline in an area of about 4,500 ha. Among the underwater marine growth is a wide variety of algae as well as seagrass ,

7920-509: The ecological importance of mangrove ecosystem, knowledge on mangrove biodiversity is notably limited. Previous reports mainly investigated the biodiversity of mangrove fauna, flora and bacterial communities. Particularly, little information is available about viral communities and their roles in mangrove soil ecosystems. In view of the importance of viruses in structuring and regulating host communities and mediating element biogeochemical cycles, exploring viral communities in mangrove ecosystems

8040-411: The export of carbon fixed in mangroves is important in coastal food webs. Mangrove forests contribute significantly to coastal ecosystems by fostering complex and diverse food webs . The intricate root systems of mangroves create a habitat conducive to the proliferation of microorganisms, crustaceans, and small fish, forming the foundational tiers of the food chain. This abundance of organisms serves as

8160-573: The food web of the ocean. Mangrove plantations in Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, and India host several commercially important species of fish and crustaceans. The mangrove food chain extends beyond the marine ecosystem. Coastal bird species inhabit the tidal ecosystems feeding off small marine organisms and wetland insects. Common bird families found in mangroves around the world are egrets , kingfishers , herons , and hornbills , among many others dependent on ecological range. Bird predation plays

8280-805: The fore and hind flippers. Both hatchlings and juveniles have serrated posterior marginal scutes, which become smooth with age. Juveniles also have three dorsal keels; the central longitudinal keel gives younger turtles a serrated profile, which remains until sexual maturity is reached. The olive ridley sea turtle rarely weighs over 50 kg (110 lb). Adults studied in Oaxaca , Mexico , ranged from 25 to 46 kg (55 to 101 lb); adult females weighed an average of 35.45 kg (78.2 lb) (n=58), while adult males weighed significantly less, averaging 33.00 kg (72.75 lb) (n=17). Hatchlings usually weigh between 12.0 and 23.3 g (0.42 and 0.82 oz). Adults are sexually dimorphic. The mature male has

8400-405: The functional characteristics of root-associated microbial communities in plant growth and biogeochemical cycling. Unraveling functional patterns across the four root compartments holds a great potential for understanding functional mechanisms responsible for mediating root–microbe interactions in support of enhancing mangrove ecosystem functioning. The diversity of bacteria in disturbed mangroves

8520-402: The health and productivity of mangroves. Many researchers have successfully applied knowledge acquired about plant microbiomes to produce specific inocula for crop protection. Such inocula can stimulate plant growth by releasing phytohormones and enhancing uptake of some mineral nutrients (particularly phosphorus and nitrogen). However, most of the plant microbiome studies have focused on

8640-626: The importance of root-associated bacteria and fungi for mangrove growth and health. Recent studies have investigated the detailed structure of root-associated microbial communities at a continuous fine-scale in other plants, where a microhabitat was divided into four root compartments: endosphere, episphere, rhizosphere, and nonrhizosphere or bulk soil . Moreover, the microbial communities in each compartment have been reported to have unique characteristics. Root exudates selectively enrich adapted microbial populations; however, these exudates were found to exert only marginal impacts on microbes in

8760-414: The internal organs or other muscles. In recent years, increased predation on turtles by jaguars has been noted, perhaps due to habitat loss and fewer alternative food sources. Sea turtles are comparatively defenseless in this situation, as they cannot pull their heads into their shells like freshwater and terrestrial turtles. Females are often plagued by mosquitos during nesting. Humans are still listed as

8880-517: The jaguar is the only cat with a strong enough bite to penetrate a sea turtle's shell, thought to be an evolutionary adaption from the Holocene extinction event. In observations of jaguar attacks, the cats consumed the neck muscles of the turtle and occasionally the flippers, but left the remainder of the turtle carcass for scavengers as most likely, despite the strength of its jaws, a jaguar still cannot easily penetrate an adult turtle's shell to reach

9000-465: The known nesting beaches are only frequented by solitarily nesting females and support a relatively small quantity of nests (100 to 3,000 nests). The overall contribution and importance of solitary nesting females to the population may be underestimated by the scientific community as the hatching success rate of nests at arribada beaches is generally low, but high at solitary nesting beaches. Isolated, irregular nesting events also sporadically occur within

9120-734: The leading threat to L. olivacea , responsible for unsustainable egg collection, slaughtering nesting females on the beach, and direct harvesting adults at sea for commercial sale of both the meat and hides. Other major threats include mortality associated with boat collisions, and incidental takes in fisheries. Trawling , gill nets , ghost nests, longline fishing , and pot fishing have significantly affected olive ridley populations, as well as other species of marine turtles. Between 1993 and 2003, more than 100,000 olive ridley turtles were reported dead in Odisha, India from fishery-related practices. In addition, entanglement and ingestion of marine debris

9240-492: The limited fresh water available in salty intertidal soils, mangroves limit the amount of water they lose through their leaves. They can restrict the opening of their stomata (pores on the leaf surfaces, which exchange carbon dioxide gas and water vapor during photosynthesis). They also vary the orientation of their leaves to avoid the harsh midday sun and so reduce evaporation from the leaves. A captive red mangrove grows only if its leaves are misted with fresh water several times

9360-466: The limits of distribution, the formation is represented by scrubby, usually monotypic Avicennia -dominated vegetation, as at Westonport Bay and Corner Inlet, Victoria, Australia. The latter locality is the highest latitude (38° 45'S) at which mangroves occur naturally. The mangroves in New Zealand, which extend as far south as 37°, are of the same type; they start as low forest in the northern part of

9480-472: The major limitation to the number of species able to thrive in their habitat. High tide brings in salt water, and when the tide recedes, solar evaporation of the seawater in the soil leads to further increases in salinity. The return of tide can flush out these soils, bringing them back to salinity levels comparable to that of seawater. At low tide, organisms are also exposed to increases in temperature and reduced moisture before being then cooled and flooded by

9600-566: The majority was attributed to conspecifics unintentionally destroying existing nests. The extent to which arribadas contribute to the population status of olive ridleys has created debate among scientists. Many believe the massive reproductive output of these nesting events is critical to maintaining populations, while others maintain the traditional arribada beaches fall far short of their reproductive potential and are most likely not sustaining population levels. In some areas, this debate eventually led to legalizing egg collection. Historically,

9720-457: The male may also be softer than that of the female. The olive ridley turtle has a circumtropical distribution, living in tropical and warm waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans from India, Arabia, Japan, and Micronesia south to southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. In the Atlantic Ocean, it has been observed off the western coast of Africa and the coasts of northern Brazil, Suriname , Guyana , French Guiana , and Venezuela. Additionally,

9840-535: The mangrove species in each listed plant genus and family. Mangrove environments in the Eastern Hemisphere harbor six times as many species of trees and shrubs as do mangroves in the New World. Genetic divergence of mangrove lineages from terrestrial relatives, in combination with fossil evidence, suggests mangrove diversity is limited by evolutionary transition into the stressful marine environment, and

9960-403: The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and economically important crop plants, such as rice , barley , wheat , maize and soybean . There is less information on the microbiomes of tree species. Plant microbiomes are determined by plant-related factors (e.g., genotype , organ, species, and health status) and environmental factors (e.g., land use, climate, and nutrient availability). Two of

10080-488: The most abundant biological entities on earth, present in virtually all ecosystems. By lysing their hosts, that is, by rupturing their cell membranes, viruses control host abundance and affect the structure of host communities. Viruses also influence their host diversity and evolution through horizontal gene transfer , selection for resistance and manipulation of bacterial metabolisms . Importantly, marine viruses affect local and global biogeochemical cycles through

10200-451: The mouth of rivers Rushikulya and Devi. The spectacular site of mass congregation of olive ridley sea turtles for mating and nesting enthralls both the scientists and the nature lovers throughout the world. Olive ridley sea turtles migrate in huge numbers from the beginning of November, every year, for mating and nesting along the coast of Orissa. Gahirmatha coast has the annual nesting figure between 100,000 and 500,000 each year. A decline in

10320-486: The nearest beach. Research from Costa Rica revealed the number of copulating pairs observed near the beach could not be responsible for the fertilization of the tens of thousands of gravid females, so a significant amount of mating is believed to have occurred elsewhere at other times of the year. The Gahirmatha Beach in Kendrapara district of Odisha (India), which is now a part of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary,

10440-458: The nesting period, as many of these eggs would be destroyed by later nesting females. Over 27 million eggs are left unharvested, and villagers have played a large role in protecting these nests from predators, thereby increasing hatching success. Most participating households reported egg harvesting as their most important activity, and profits earned were superior to other forms of available employment, other than tourism. The price of Ostional eggs

10560-605: The northern Indian Ocean; the breeding colony in Mexico was listed as endangered in the US on July 28, 1978. Olive ridley turtles exhibit two different nesting behaviours: solitary nesting (the most prevalent) and synchronized mass nesting, termed arribadas . They are unique among sea turtle species in the latter behaviour, for which they are best known. Females return to the same beach from where they hatched, to lay their eggs. They lay their eggs in conical nests about 1.5 ft deep, which they laboriously dig with their hind flippers. In

10680-614: The number of mangrove lineages has increased steadily over the Tertiary with little global extinction. Mangroves are a type of tropical vegetation with some outliers established in subtropical latitudes, notably in South Florida and southern Japan, as well as South Africa, New Zealand and Victoria (Australia). These outliers result either from unbroken coastlines and island chains or from reliable supplies of propagules floating on warm ocean currents from rich mangrove regions. "At

10800-565: The olive ridley has been exploited for food, bait, oil, leather, and fertilizer . The meat is not considered a delicacy; the egg, however, is esteemed everywhere. Egg collection is illegal in most of the countries where olive ridleys nest, but these laws are rarely enforced. Harvesting eggs has the potential to contribute to local economies, so the unique practice of allowing a sustainable (legal) egg harvest has been attempted in several localities. Numerous case studies have been conducted in regions of arribadas beaches to investigate and understand

10920-583: The olive ridley has been recorded in the Caribbean Sea as far north as Puerto Rico. A female was found alive on an Irish Sea beach on the Isle of Anglesey , Wales, in November 2016, giving this species its northernmost appearance. It was taken in by the nearby Anglesey Sea Zoo , while its health was assessed. A juvenile female was found off the coast of Sussex in 2020. The olive ridley is also found in

11040-633: The olive ridley sea turtle population was carried out in Chennai, where the Chennai wildlife team collected close to 10,000 eggs along the Marina coast, of which 8,834 hatchlings were successfully released into the sea in a phased manner. In March 2023, in Honnavar , India, local fishers sighted 86 sea turtle nests, with over 5,000 eggs in them, along a 3-km stretch of beach between Apsarakonda and Pavinkorava. The highest number of nests previously recorded in

11160-426: The olive ridleys in these areas, where more oil and gasoline will be released into these sensitive habitats. Another threat to these turtles is power plants, which have documented juvenile and subadult turtles becoming entrained and entrapped within the saltwater cooling intake systems. Mating is often assumed to occur in the vicinity of nesting beaches, but copulating pairs have been reported over 1,000 km from

11280-473: The parent tree. Once germinated, the seedling grows either within the fruit (e.g. Aegialitis , Avicennia and Aegiceras ), or out through the fruit (e.g. Rhizophora , Ceriops , Bruguiera and Nypa ) to form a propagule (a ready-to-go seedling) which can produce its own food via photosynthesis . The mature propagule then drops into the water, which can transport it great distances. Propagules can survive desiccation and remain dormant for over

11400-429: The past few years, bridging the research gap and expanding our knowledge towards the relationship between microbes mainly constituted of bacteria and its nutrient cycles in the mangrove sediment and direct and indirect impacts on mangrove growth and stand-structures as coastal barriers and other ecological service providers. Thus, based on studies by Lai et al.'s systematic review, here they suggest sampling improvements and

11520-927: The plant via root exudates , thus close associations between the plant and microbes are established for their mutual benefits. The taxonomic class level shows that most Proteobacteria were reported to come from Gammaproteobacteria, followed by Deltaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. The diverse function and the phylogenic variation of Gammaproteobacteria, which consisted of orders such as Alteromonadales and Vibrionales, are found in marine and coastal regions and are high in abundance in mangrove sediments functioning as nutrient recyclers. Members of Deltaproteobacteria found in mangrove soil are mostly sulfur-related, consisting of Desulfobacterales , Desulfuromonadales , Desulfovibrionales , and Desulfarculales among others. Highly diverse microbial communities (mainly bacteria and fungi ) have been found to inhabit and function in mangrove roots. For example, diazotrophic bacteria in

11640-453: The plant was exposed. In a frequently cited concept that has become known as the "sacrificial leaf", salt which does accumulate in the shoot (sprout) then concentrates in old leaves, which the plant then sheds. However, recent research on the Red mangrove Rhizophora mangle suggests that the older, yellowing leaves have no more measurable salt content than the other, greener leaves. Because of

11760-549: The plant-related factors, plant species, and genotypes, have been shown to play significant roles in shaping rhizosphere and plant microbiomes, as tree genotypes and species are associated with specific microbial communities . Different plant organs also have specific microbial communities depending on plant-associated factors (plant genotype, available nutrients, and organ-specific physicochemical conditions) and environmental conditions (associated with aboveground and underground surfaces and disturbances). Mangrove roots harbour

11880-474: The population of these turtles has occurred in the recent past due to mass mortality. The olive ridley sea turtle has been listed on Schedule – I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended 1991). The species is listed as vulnerable under IUCN. The sea turtles are protected under the 'Migratory Species Convention' and Convention of International Trade on Wildlife Flora and Fauna (CITES). India

12000-460: The practice of allowing legal egg harvests continues to attract criticism from conservationists and sea turtle biologists. Plotkin's Biology and Conservation of Ridley Sea Turtles , particularly the chapter by Lisa Campbell titled "Understanding Human Use of Olive Ridleys", provides further research on the Ostional harvest (as well as other harvesting projects). Scott Drucker's documentary, Between

12120-731: The release of substantial amounts of organic carbon and nutrients from hosts and assist microbes in driving biogeochemical cycles with auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs). It is presumed AMGs augment viral-infected host metabolism and facilitate the production of new viruses. AMGs have been extensively explored in marine cyanophages and include genes involved in photosynthesis, carbon turnover, phosphate uptake and stress response. Cultivation-independent metagenomic analysis of viral communities has identified additional AMGs that are involved in motility, central carbon metabolism, photosystem I, energy metabolism, iron–sulphur clusters, anti-oxidation and sulphur and nitrogen cycling. Interestingly,

12240-457: The rest of the plant. One study found that roots of the Indian mangrove Avicennia officinalis exclude 90% to 95% of the salt in water taken up by the plant, depositing the excluded salt in the cortex of the root. An increase in the production of suberin and in the activity of a gene regulating cytochrome P450 were observed in correlation with an increase in the salinity of the water to which

12360-448: The same beach to lay eggs. The olive ridley sea turtle may have been first described as Testudo mydas minor by Georg Adolf Suckow in 1798. It was later described and named Chelonia multiscutata by Heinrich Kuhl in 1820. Still later, it was described and named Chelonia olivacea by Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz in 1829. The species was placed in the subgenus Lepidochelys by Leopold Fitzinger in 1843. After Lepidochelys

12480-411: The sediment due to the tidal flushing of mangrove forests. Termites play an important role in the formation of peat from mangrove materials. They process fallen leaf litter , root systems and wood from mangroves into peat to build their nests, and stabilise the chemistry of this peat that represents approximately 2% of above ground carbon storage in mangroves. As the nests are buried over time this carbon

12600-520: The shadow of the Chichiriviche hills, with elevations up to around 250 m. At 285 m high, Chichiriviche Hill is the highest point in the park. It stands amid the surrounding coastal environment of Tertiary-period coral origin, belonging to the Capadare - Agua Linda limestone geological formation. The warm tropical climate is influenced by the north-east trade winds , with low rates of precipitation. Temperatures are relatively uniform throughout

12720-401: The socioeconomic, cultural, and political issues of egg collection. Of these, the legal egg harvest at Ostional, Costa Rica, has been viewed by many as both biologically sustainable and economically viable. Since egg collection became legal in 1987, local villagers have been able to harvest and sell around three million eggs annually. They are permitted to collect eggs during the first 36 hours of

12840-465: The soil like straws for breathing. These "breathing tubes" typically reach heights of up to 30 cm (12 in), and in some species, over 3 m (9.8 ft). The roots also contain wide aerenchyma to facilitate transport within the plants. Because the soil is perpetually waterlogged, little free oxygen is available. Anaerobic bacteria liberate nitrogen gas, soluble ferrum (iron), inorganic phosphates , sulfides , and methane , which make

12960-503: The soil much less nutritious. Pneumatophores ( aerial roots ) allow mangroves to absorb gases directly from the atmosphere, and other nutrients such as iron, from the inhospitable soil. Mangroves store gases directly inside the roots, processing them even when the roots are submerged during high tide. Red mangroves exclude salt by having significantly impermeable roots that are highly suberised (impregnated with suberin ), acting as an ultrafiltration mechanism to exclude sodium salts from

13080-702: The species chosen. The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is celebrated every year on 26 July. Etymology of the English term mangrove can only be speculative and is disputed. The term may have come to English from the Portuguese mangue or the Spanish mangle . Further back, it may be traced to South America and Cariban and Arawakan languages such as Taíno . Other possibilities include

13200-483: The species' range. Some of the olive ridley's foraging grounds near Southern California are contaminated due to sewage, agricultural runoff, pesticides, solvents, and industrial discharges. These contaminants have been shown to decrease the productivity of the benthic community, which negatively affects these turtles, which feed from these communities. The increasing demand to build marinas and docks near Baja California and Southern California are also negatively affecting

13320-435: The tide. Thus, for a plant to survive in this environment, it must tolerate broad ranges of salinity, temperature, and moisture, as well as several other key environmental factors—thus only a select few species make up the mangrove tree community. About 110 species are considered mangroves, in the sense of being trees that grow in such a saline swamp, though only a few are from the mangrove plant genus, Rhizophora . However,

13440-767: The tropical conditions of variable salinity, tidal range (inundation), anaerobic soils, and intense sunlight. Plant biodiversity is generally low in a given mangrove. The greatest biodiversity of mangroves occurs in Southeast Asia , particularly in the Indonesian archipelago . The red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle ) survives in the most inundated areas, props itself above the water level with stilt or prop roots and then absorbs air through lenticels in its bark. The black mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ) lives on higher ground and develops many specialized root-like structures called pneumatophores , which stick up out of

13560-579: The vicinity of mangrove roots could perform biological nitrogen fixation , which provides 40–60% of the total nitrogen required by mangroves; the soil attached to mangrove roots lacks oxygen but is rich in organic matter, providing an optimal microenvironment for sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens , ligninolytic , cellulolytic , and amylolytic fungi are prevalent in the mangrove root environment; rhizosphere fungi could help mangroves survive in waterlogged and nutrient-restricted environments. These studies have provided increasing evidence to support

13680-642: The west. There are records of A. germinans and Rhizophora mangle for Bermuda, presumably supplied by the Gulf Stream. In southern Japan, Kandelia obovata occurs to about 31 °N (Tagawa in Hosakawa et al., 1977, but initially referred to as K. candel )." Mangrove forests , also called mangrove swamps or mangals , are found in tropical and subtropical tidal areas. Areas where mangroves occur include estuaries and marine shorelines. The intertidal existence to which these trees are adapted represents

13800-403: The world's subtropical and tropical coastlines. Mangroves are one of the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems on earth. The rates of primary production of mangroves equal those of tropical humid evergreen forests and coral reefs. As a globally relevant component of the carbon cycle, mangroves sequester approximately 24 million metric tons of carbon each year. Most mangrove carbon

13920-550: The world. In 2018, the Global Mangrove Watch Initiative released a new global baseline which estimates the total mangrove forest area of the world as of 2010 at 137,600 km (53,100 sq mi), spanning 118 countries and territories. A 2022 study on losses and gains of tidal wetlands estimates a 3,700 km (1,400 sq mi) net decrease in global mangrove extent from 1999 to 2019. Mangrove loss continues due to human activity, with

14040-402: The world. More than one million olive ridleys were commercially harvested off the coasts of Mexico in 1968 alone. The population of Pacific Mexico was estimated to be at least 10 million prior to the era of mass exploitation. More recently, the global population of annual nesting females has been reduced to about two million by 2004, and was further reduced to 852,550 by 2008. This indicated

14160-659: The year between 27 and 35 °C. In cold weather, it can drop to between 23-26 °C. The rainiest period extends from August to December, particularly in November and December. The flora corresponds to the area of tropical dry forests. The vegetation is quite varied and is closely associated with geomorphological positions, the most important subsets being the coast , coastal lagoons , marshes , saline shoals , cays and shallow seabed. It ranges from evergreen plants, such as olives , to deciduous plants such as Bursera simaruba . Plants, such as glass grass, are adapted to high salinity soils . Continuing toward Mayorquina on

14280-452: Was elevated to full genus status, the species was called Lepidochelys olivacea by Charles Frédéric Girard in 1858. Because Eschscholtz was the first to propose the specific epithet olivacea , he is credited as the binomial authority or taxon author in the valid name Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829). The parentheses indicate that the species was originally described in a different genus. The generic name , Lepidochelys ,

14400-411: Was intentionally kept low to discourage illegal collection of eggs from other beaches. The Ostional project retained more local profits than similar egg-collection projects in Nicaragua, but evaluating egg-harvesting projects such as this suffers from the short timeline and site specificity of findings. In most regions, illegal poaching of eggs is considered a major threat to olive ridley populations, thus

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