Changes in dive patterns of leatherback turtles with sea surface temperature and potential foraging habitats

Marine mesotherms are able to occupy broader thermal niches than ectotherms; however, this means they must exhibit greater tolerance to diverse environmental conditions across the ocean. Knowledge remains limited about how differences in environmental conditions within occupied habitats affect the bioenergetics of mesotherms and associated ecological traits. Here, we report that leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) migrating across the North Pacific changed their dive behavior regionally, possibly in response to changes in sea surface temperature and prey abundance. Our results demonstrate that dives became deeper when the surface water was warmer, presumably because leatherbacks dive to deep cold waters to avoid overheating. Moreover, the patterns of presumed foraging dives indicate that leatherbacks engage in behavioral thermoregulation in warmer foraging regions, which perhaps limit the time available for foraging activity. In contrast, mesothermy allows leatherbacks to spend m...