NMFS Turtle Tracking

Original provider: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Dataset credits: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Abstract: Satellite telemetry from 26 loggerhead (<i>Caretta caretta</i>) and 10 olive ridley (<i>Lepidochelys olivacea</i>) sea turtles captured and released from pelagic longline fishing gear provided information on the turtles' position and movement in the central North Pacific. These data, together with environmental data from satellite remote sensing, are used to describe the oceanic habitat used by these turtles. The results indicate that loggerheads travel westward, move seasonally north and south primarily through the region 28-40 deg N, and occupy sea surface temperatures (SST) of 15-25 deg C. Their dive depth distribution indicated that they spend 40% of their time at the surface and 90% of their time at depths <40 m. Loggerheads are found in association with fronts, eddies, and geostrophic currents. Specifically, the Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front (TZCF) and the southern edge of the Kuroshio Extension Current (KEC) appear to be important forage and migratiom habitats for loggerheads. In contrast, olive ridleys were found primarily south of loggerhead habitat in the region 8-31 deg N latitude, occupying warmer water with SSTs of 23-28 deg C. They have a deeper dive pattern than loggerheads, spending only 20% of their time at the surface and 60% shallower than 40 m. However, the three olive ridleys identified from genetics to be of western Pacific origin spent some time associated with major ocean currents, specifically the southern edge of the KEC, the North Equatorial Current (NEC), and the Equatorial Counter Current (ECC). These habitats were not used by any olive ridleys of eastern Pacific origin suggesting that olive ridleys from different populations may occupy different oceanic habitats.原始数据提供方：美国国家海洋和大气管理局太平洋岛屿渔业科学中心（NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC） 数据集贡献方：美国国家海洋和大气管理局太平洋岛屿渔业科学中心（NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC） 摘要：本数据集依托26只红海龟（*Caretta caretta*）与10只橄榄鳞龟（*Lepidochelys olivacea*）的卫星遥测数据——这些海龟由远洋延绳钓渔具捕获后放归，数据记录了它们在北太平洋中部的位置与移动轨迹。本数据集结合卫星遥感获取的环境数据，用于刻画此类海龟所利用的大洋栖息环境。 研究结果表明：红海龟向西迁徙，主要在北纬28°至40°的区域内进行季节性南北移动，活动海域的海表温度（sea surface temperature, SST）介于15℃至25℃之间。其潜水深度分布特征显示，红海龟有40%的时间停留在海面，90%的时间处于深度小于40米的水层。红海龟的活动区域与海洋锋面、涡旋及地转流密切相关，其中过渡带叶绿素锋面（Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front, TZCF）与黑潮延伸体洋流南部边缘（Kuroshio Extension Current, KEC）是红海龟重要的觅食与洄游栖息环境。 与之相对，橄榄鳞龟的活动区域主要集中在红海龟栖息海域以南，即北纬8°至31°的纬度带内，活动海域的海表温度更高，介于23℃至28℃之间。相较于红海龟，橄榄鳞龟的潜水模式更深：仅有20%的时间停留在海面，60%的时间处于深度小于40米的水层。不过，经遗传学鉴定为西太平洋种群的3只橄榄鳞龟，曾在主要洋流区域活动，具体包括黑潮延伸体洋流南部边缘、北赤道流（North Equatorial Current, NEC）以及赤道逆流（Equatorial Counter Current, ECC）。而东太平洋种群的橄榄鳞龟从未利用上述栖息环境，这表明不同种群的橄榄鳞龟可能占据不同的大洋栖息环境。