Problems With Sea Turtle Extinction By Alex Baker

Problem 6 of the 7 sea turtles species are on the endangered species list Turtles are dying from entanglement in fishing lines, poaching, coastal development, pollution and global warming

Hypotheses Null: no outside factors are affecting sea turtle populations; they are just naturally dying out Hypo 1: human factors are causing the high mortality rates of turtles Hypo 2: environmental factors are causing the high mortality rates of sea turtles

Methods Random sampling Longitudinal study Experimental Caught 100 turtles and attached tracking devices Found 2 nests and set up cameras to observe Control Caught 100 turtles and took back to laboratory Located 2 nests, collected eggs and took back to lab

Methods continued Found turtles that died Examined to find cause of death After one year mark, tracked down other turtles to make sure they were still alive Observed hatchlings from experimental and control nests Released turtles from lab

Results Fig. 1, Experimental Turtle Outcomes 34 Lived 43 Died (natural) Died (fishing) 2 31 Died (pollution)

Fig. 2, Experimental vs. Control 99 34 31 2 Lived 43 1 Died (natural) 0 0 Died (fishing) Died (pollution) Experimental group Control group

Fig. 3, Nest Experimental vs. Control 183 185 128 Hatched Survived Experimental Control

Fig. 4, ANOVA statistical analysis SUMMARY Groups Count Sum Average Variance Experimental group 4 110 27. 5 315 Control group 4 100 25 2434 SS df MS F Between Groups 12. 5 1 12. 5 0. 009094 Within Groups 8247 6 1374. 5 8259. 5 7 ANOVA Source of Variation Total P-value 0. 927131 F crit 5. 987378

Discussion Many turtles died from human factors Mainly from commercial fishing and pollution Results correspond to hypothesis 1 Null hypothesis can be rejected

Other studies Paraiba, Brazil – turtles were dying from ingestion of plastic debris and net entanglement (Mascarhenas, 2004) Hawaii – turtles were dying from commercial fishing (Work, 2010) Show the same results - turtles are dying from manmade causes!

References “Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, Research and Education. ” 2012. Georgia Sea Turtle Center. 18 November 2012. <http: //www. georgiaseaturtlecenter. org/ourpatients/commonly-asked-questions/>. Mascarenhas R, Santos R and Zeppelini D. “Plastic Debris Ingestion by Sea Turtle in Paraiba, Brazil. ” Pub. Med (2004): 354 -355. 1 December 2012. Work TM and Balazs GH. “Pathology and Distribution of Sea Turtles Landed as Bycatch in the Hawaii-Based North Pacific Pelagic Longline Fishery. ” Pub. Med (2010): 422 -432. 1 December 2012.