Individual plasticity in response to rising sea temperatures contributes to an advancement in green turtle nesting phenology

Phenological changes – i.e., shifts in the timing of biological events – are among the most frequently reported population-level responses to climate change and are often assumed to be adaptive and increase population viability. These may be driven by both individual-level phenotypic plasticity and population-level evolutionary and demographic changes. Yet, few studies have explored how individual-level versus population-level processes drive phenological trends. Using a 31-year dataset of over 600 individually marked nesting green turtles (Chelonia mydas), we quantify the population- and individual-level temporal change in the first nest date. Of the latter, approximately 30% is attributable to individual phenological plasticity to a rise in sea surface temperature, with females advancing their nesting by 6.47 days for every degree increase in sea surface temperature. The remaining change is almost entirely explained by individual- and population-level changes in size and breeding expe..., , , # Individual plasticity in response to rising sea temperatures contributes to an advancement in green turtle nesting phenology

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8gtht76z9](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8gtht76z9)

## Description of the data and file structure

Dataset for Proceedings of the Royal Society B: DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1809

Individual plasticity in response to rising sea temperatures contributes to an advancement in green turtle nesting phenology.

Mollie L. Rickwood1, Eve Tucker1, Damla Beton2, Sophie Davey2, Brendan J. Godley1, Robin T. E. Snape1,2, Erik Postma1, Annette C. Broderick1

1 University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.

2 Society for Protection of Turtles, Levent Daire 1, Ulus Sokak, Gönyelli, North Cyprus.

Mollie L. Rickwood: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]); Eve Tucker: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]); Damla Beton: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]); Soph...