Vulnerability of sea turtle nesting sites to erosion and inundation: a decision support framework to maximize conservation

Sandy beaches provide essential nesting habitat for sea turtles but are threatened globally by a rapidly changing climate. Identifying which nesting sites are at greatest risk from erosion and inundation remains an important goal of sea turtle conservation globally. Yet, efforts to identify at-risk sites have been hindered by the ability to model complex processes and incomplete information on nesting distribution and abundance. To assess the erosion and inundation risk to the reproductive success of a discrete genetic stock of flatback turtles (Natator depressus) across its nesting range in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, we used the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) Coastal Vulnerability Model. A relative exposure index was calculated for 402 nesting beaches in terms of six geophysical variables: wind and wave exposure, surge potential, relief, observed sea level rise and coastal geomorphology, and coupled with published information on the dis..., ,