Laura Prosdocimi - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Laura Prosdocimi

Research paper thumbnail of Categorización del estado de conservación de los anfibios de la República Argentina

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Dec 19, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Intra-specific variation in skull morphology of juvenile Chelonia mydas in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

Marine Biology, Oct 1, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Atlantic Leatherback Migratory Paths and Temporary Residence Areas

Research paper thumbnail of Bahía Blanca Estuary and the Importance of Wetlands for the Conservation of Sea Turtles

Springer eBooks, 2021

Sea turtles, symbol of longevity, patience, fertility, and freedom, are reptiles that appeared on... more Sea turtles, symbol of longevity, patience, fertility, and freedom, are reptiles that appeared on the earth about 200 million years ago. There are seven species grouped into two families Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae. These animals are present in all the oceans and seas of the world, except in the polar regions. Sea turtles are a migratory species, moving between their nesting and feeding areas. In the southwest coast of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, three species of sea turtles are frequently found from the end of spring until the beginning of autumn. These are the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), and the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The estuary of Bahia Blanca is an extensive coastal marine wetland. It is an important feeding area in the Southwestern Atlantic (ASO) for the green turtle specie during its juvenile development stage, mainly due to its omnivorous diet. These coastal areas are also where people settled and ports, industries, and artisanal fisheries later developed. The objective of this chapter is to update the information regarding the value of the wetlands of Bahia Blanca Estuary as an important feeding area for sea turtles, mainly the green turtle specie. We also aim to showcase some research projects and the efforts of conservation and environmental education that have been in progress since 2003 up to the present day.

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple haplotypes of Chelonia mydas juveniles in a threatened hotspot area in Southern Brazil

Genetics and Molecular Biology, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple-threats analysis for loggerhead sea turtles in the southwest Atlantic Ocean

Endangered Species Research, Feb 13, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial use of multiple jurisdictions by Magellanic penguins and assessment of potential conflicts in the face of changing trawl fisheries scenarios

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2021

Seabirds often have wide distribution ranges and may travel relatively long distances to breeding... more Seabirds often have wide distribution ranges and may travel relatively long distances to breeding grounds, often crossing jurisdictional boundaries. When engaged in foraging behaviour, seabirds are prone to interact with different fisheries and suffer incidental mortality. We assessed the spatial use of foraging Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus breeding at 3 colonies within the Patagonia Austral Marine Park (San Jorge Gulf, Argentina) in relation to different jurisdictions. We also quantified their spatial overlap with 3 trawl fisheries and bycatch (incidental mortality), an interaction previously reported in the region. Breeding Magellanic penguins mainly used waters under provincial jurisdiction within the gulf, with some use of federal waters depending on the breeding season and colony location. Spatial use by breeding penguins resulted in a variable but relatively low overlap with the operations of the 3 fishing fleets in 2014-2016 (1.1-26.3%). Changes in the spatial ...

Research paper thumbnail of Natal Origin and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Strandings at a Foraging Hotspot in Temperate Waters of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Research paper thumbnail of Natal Origin and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Strandings at a Foraging Hotspot in Temperate Waters of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Animals

Leatherback turtles migrate long distances between nesting beaches and distant foraging areas wor... more Leatherback turtles migrate long distances between nesting beaches and distant foraging areas worldwide. This study analyzes the genetic diversity, life history stage, spatiotemporal distribution, and associated threats of a foraging aggregation in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. A total of 242 leatherbacks stranded or bycaught by artisanal fisheries were recorded from 1997 to 2021 in Uruguay, with sizes ranging from 110.0 to 170.0 cm carapace lengths, indicating that the aggregation is composed of large juveniles and adults. Results of Bayesian mixed-stock analysis show that leatherbacks come primarily from the West African rookeries, based on mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from 59 of the turtles representing seven haplotypes, including a novel one (Dc1.7). The main threat identified in the area is the fisheries bycatch but most of the carcasses observed were badly decomposed. There was significant seasonal and interannual variability in strandings that is likely associated wit...

Research paper thumbnail of Estado del conocimiento biológico pesquero de los principales recursos vivos y su ambiente, con relación a la exploración hidrocarburífera en la Zona Económica Exclusiva Argentina y adyacencias

El presente documento tiene como objeto describir los principales ecosistemas marinos de la regió... more El presente documento tiene como objeto describir los principales ecosistemas marinos de la región (ecosistema costero bonaerense, plataforma media, norpatagónico, austral y talud) y aportar información biológica y pesquera de los recursos de importancia comercial más relevantes, así como de los restantes componentes biológicos que habitan esos ecosistemas (fito y zooplancton, invertebrados bentónicos). Se espera que esta información contribuya, en una primera instancia, a la planificación de futuras prospecciones sísmicas en el Mar Argentino, de forma tal de minimizar el eventual impacto que las mismas pudiesen causar sobre la biota de estos ecosistemas. También se brin- da información sobre la distribución de la flota pesquera y la normativa vigente de manejo para las dife- rentes pesquerías que se desarrollan en la ZEEA.Fil: Allega, Lucrecia. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Braverman, Mara Silvia. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y ...

Research paper thumbnail of Shapefiles of Figs 1 and 2 and Supplementary figures S1 to S6

The folder includes all the ArcGIS shapefiles used to make figures 1 and 2 and supplementary figu... more The folder includes all the ArcGIS shapefiles used to make figures 1 and 2 and supplementary figures S1 to S6. An excel file is also included which describes which field of which shapefile was used to make which figure

Research paper thumbnail of Data from: Pan-Atlantic analysis of the overlap of a highly migratory species, the leatherback turtle, with pelagic longline fisheries

Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation c... more Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation concern as a result of anthropogenic threats, of which incidental capture by fisheries is frequently identified. The last large populations of the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, occur in the Atlantic Ocean, but interactions with industrial fisheries could jeopardize recent positive population trends, making bycatch mitigation a priority. Here, we perform the first pan-Atlantic analysis of spatio-temporal distribution of the leatherback turtle and ascertain overlap with longline fishing effort. Data suggest that the Atlantic probably consists of two regional management units: northern and southern (the latter including turtles breeding in South Africa). Although turtles and fisheries show highly diverse distributions, we highlight nine areas of high susceptibility to potential bycatch (four in the northern Atlantic and five in the southern/equatorial Atlantic) that are worthy of further targeted investigation and mitigation. These are reinforced by reports of leatherback bycatch at eight of these sites. International collaborative efforts are needed, especially from nations hosting regions where susceptibility to bycatch is likely to be high within their exclusive economic zone (northern Atlantic: Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal, Spain, USA and Western Sahara; southern Atlantic: Angola, Brazil, Namibia and UK) and from nations fishing in these high-susceptibility areas, including those located in international waters

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de los desembarques declarados de condrictios a partir de la implementación de la veda en el área del Tratado del Río de la Plata y su Frente Marítimo (2006-2014)

En 2007 la Comision Tecnica Mixta del Frente Maritimo establecio un area de veda para el arrastre... more En 2007 la Comision Tecnica Mixta del Frente Maritimo establecio un area de veda para el arrastre de fondo en el rectangulo de pesca 3656 con el fin de proteger las agregaciones reproductivas y los juveniles de condrictios. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la evolucion de dicha medida, los desembarques de rayas y tiburones declarados durante el periodo 2006-2014 en dicho rectangulo y la distribucion de la flota antes y despues del establecimiento de la veda. En el periodo evaluado, la duracion de la veda se incremento de 59 a 151 dias y se observo una reduccion de las toneladas de rayas y tiburones declaradas en el area de la Zona Comun de Pesca Argentino-Uruguaya del rectangulo 3656 y un incremento de la participacion de dichas especies en los desembarques del area de jurisdiccion provincial. La misma tendencia se evidencio en las operaciones de pesca de noviembre a marzo al comparar la temporada 2006-2007 (sin veda) y la temporada 2012-2013 (con veda). En la temporada...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of remote sensing tools to predict focal areas for sea turtle conservation in the south‐western Atlantic

Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple haplotypes of Chelonia mydas juveniles in a threatened hotspot area in Southern Brazil

Genetics and Molecular Biology, 2021

Mixed stocks are described for Chelonia mydas and the frequency of haplotypes in feeding areas ca... more Mixed stocks are described for Chelonia mydas and the frequency of haplotypes in feeding areas can aid understanding of the genetic and ecological diversity, since with this information it is possible to identify the origin of the individuals. The current study aims to characterize and compare genetic diversity along the coast of Paraná with 17 other feeding areas in the Atlantic Ocean. A total of 285 samples from juveniles were DNA sequenced in the control region, resulting in the identification of 12 haplotypes, with a predominance of the CMA8 haplotype (69%) and the first registration of CMA23. For the study subjects, haplotypic and nucleotide diversity were 0.469 ± 0.032 and 0.00189 ± 0.00020, respectively, and comparisons with other feeding areas presented significant values for the majority of FST and ΦST. The results point to the importance of this region and provide evidence that over the years a mixed stock has used the region as a feeding area. This variation could be rela...

Research paper thumbnail of Categorización del estado de conservación de los anfibios de la República Argentina

Through the participation of nine specialists from different institutions from all over Argentina... more Through the participation of nine specialists from different institutions from all over Argentina and after more than a decade from the first Red List of threatened herpetofauna proposed by Asociacion Herpetologica Argentina in 2000, we assessed the conservation status of the argentine Testudines taxa, adding the new taxonomic, biological and ecological knowledge progresses made since then as well as applying methodological changes in the former assessment. As a result from the 14 turtles taxa recognized as present in Argentina, nine were included in the actual Red List under some degree of risk (three Critically Endangered, three Endangered, three Vulnerable). From the remaining ones, three were classified as Insufficiently Known and two as Not Threatened. In the classification of the three marine turtles that are frequently found in argentine coasts we adopted the IUCN (2011) Red List criteria. In relation with the former categorization, we included a new species registered in Arg...

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple-threats analysis for loggerhead sea turtles in the southwest Atlantic Ocean

Endangered Species Research, 2020

Priority-setting approaches for widely distributed and long-lived species can be challenging. Thi... more Priority-setting approaches for widely distributed and long-lived species can be challenging. This is especially true for sea turtles, which are species of conservation concern. The aim of this study was to conduct a detailed analysis of threats to identify, quantify and prioritize the main impacts to the loggerhead Caretta caretta population in the southwest Atlantic (SWA) region. A matrix of relative threats was constructed. Threats were identified and classified for 8 different life stages (nesting females, eggs, hatchlings, swim-frenzy transitional stage, juveniles-neritic, juveniles-oceanic, adults-neritic, adults-oceanic) and for 3 ecosystems inhabited by sea turtles (terrestrial, neritic and oceanic). Results indicated that fisheries bycatch represents a major threat for loggerheads in the SWA. The trawl fishery was identified as the main source of mortality for neritic juvenile and adult turtles, whereas juveniles in oceanic areas are mostly impacted by surface longlines. In...

Research paper thumbnail of Distribution of megafaunal species in the Southwestern Atlantic: key ecological areas and opportunities for marine conservation

ICES Journal of Marine Science, 2016

During the last centuries, populations of marine megafauna—such as seabirds, turtles, and mammals... more During the last centuries, populations of marine megafauna—such as seabirds, turtles, and mammals—were intensively exploited. At present, other threats such as bycatch and pollution affect these species, which play key ecological roles in marine ecosystems as apex consumers and/or nutrient transporters. This study analyses the distribution of six megafaunal species (Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, Dermochelys coriacea, Thalassarche melanophris, Otaria flavescens, and Arctocephalus australis) coexisting in the Southwestern Atlantic to discuss their protection in terms of current management strategies in the region. Through the prediction of the species potential distributions and their relation to bathymetry, sea temperature and oceanographic fronts, key ecological areas are defined from a multi-taxa perspective. Information on the distribution of 70 individuals (18 sea turtles, 19 albatrosses, and 33 otariids) was obtained through satellite tracking conducted during 2007–2013 and a...

Research paper thumbnail of FossetteS 2014 ProcRSocB

Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation c... more Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation concern as a result of anthropogenic threats, of which incidental capture by fisheries is frequently identified. The last large populations of the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, occur in the Atlantic Ocean, but interactions with industrial fisheries could jeopardize recent positive population trends, making bycatch mitigation a priority. Here, we perform the first pan-Atlantic analysis of spatio-temporal distribution of the leatherback turtle and ascertain overlap with longline fishing effort. Data suggest that the Atlantic probably consists of two regional management units: northern and southern (the latter including turtles breeding in South Africa). Although turtles and fisheries show highly diverse distributions, we highlight nine areas of high susceptibility to potential bycatch (four in the northern Atlantic and five in the southern/equatorial Atlantic) that are worthy of...

Research paper thumbnail of Are stocks of immature loggerhead sea turtles always mixed?

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Categorización del estado de conservación de los anfibios de la República Argentina

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Dec 19, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Intra-specific variation in skull morphology of juvenile Chelonia mydas in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

Marine Biology, Oct 1, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Atlantic Leatherback Migratory Paths and Temporary Residence Areas

Research paper thumbnail of Bahía Blanca Estuary and the Importance of Wetlands for the Conservation of Sea Turtles

Springer eBooks, 2021

Sea turtles, symbol of longevity, patience, fertility, and freedom, are reptiles that appeared on... more Sea turtles, symbol of longevity, patience, fertility, and freedom, are reptiles that appeared on the earth about 200 million years ago. There are seven species grouped into two families Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae. These animals are present in all the oceans and seas of the world, except in the polar regions. Sea turtles are a migratory species, moving between their nesting and feeding areas. In the southwest coast of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, three species of sea turtles are frequently found from the end of spring until the beginning of autumn. These are the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), and the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The estuary of Bahia Blanca is an extensive coastal marine wetland. It is an important feeding area in the Southwestern Atlantic (ASO) for the green turtle specie during its juvenile development stage, mainly due to its omnivorous diet. These coastal areas are also where people settled and ports, industries, and artisanal fisheries later developed. The objective of this chapter is to update the information regarding the value of the wetlands of Bahia Blanca Estuary as an important feeding area for sea turtles, mainly the green turtle specie. We also aim to showcase some research projects and the efforts of conservation and environmental education that have been in progress since 2003 up to the present day.

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple haplotypes of Chelonia mydas juveniles in a threatened hotspot area in Southern Brazil

Genetics and Molecular Biology, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple-threats analysis for loggerhead sea turtles in the southwest Atlantic Ocean

Endangered Species Research, Feb 13, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial use of multiple jurisdictions by Magellanic penguins and assessment of potential conflicts in the face of changing trawl fisheries scenarios

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2021

Seabirds often have wide distribution ranges and may travel relatively long distances to breeding... more Seabirds often have wide distribution ranges and may travel relatively long distances to breeding grounds, often crossing jurisdictional boundaries. When engaged in foraging behaviour, seabirds are prone to interact with different fisheries and suffer incidental mortality. We assessed the spatial use of foraging Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus breeding at 3 colonies within the Patagonia Austral Marine Park (San Jorge Gulf, Argentina) in relation to different jurisdictions. We also quantified their spatial overlap with 3 trawl fisheries and bycatch (incidental mortality), an interaction previously reported in the region. Breeding Magellanic penguins mainly used waters under provincial jurisdiction within the gulf, with some use of federal waters depending on the breeding season and colony location. Spatial use by breeding penguins resulted in a variable but relatively low overlap with the operations of the 3 fishing fleets in 2014-2016 (1.1-26.3%). Changes in the spatial ...

Research paper thumbnail of Natal Origin and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Strandings at a Foraging Hotspot in Temperate Waters of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Research paper thumbnail of Natal Origin and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Strandings at a Foraging Hotspot in Temperate Waters of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Animals

Leatherback turtles migrate long distances between nesting beaches and distant foraging areas wor... more Leatherback turtles migrate long distances between nesting beaches and distant foraging areas worldwide. This study analyzes the genetic diversity, life history stage, spatiotemporal distribution, and associated threats of a foraging aggregation in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. A total of 242 leatherbacks stranded or bycaught by artisanal fisheries were recorded from 1997 to 2021 in Uruguay, with sizes ranging from 110.0 to 170.0 cm carapace lengths, indicating that the aggregation is composed of large juveniles and adults. Results of Bayesian mixed-stock analysis show that leatherbacks come primarily from the West African rookeries, based on mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from 59 of the turtles representing seven haplotypes, including a novel one (Dc1.7). The main threat identified in the area is the fisheries bycatch but most of the carcasses observed were badly decomposed. There was significant seasonal and interannual variability in strandings that is likely associated wit...

Research paper thumbnail of Estado del conocimiento biológico pesquero de los principales recursos vivos y su ambiente, con relación a la exploración hidrocarburífera en la Zona Económica Exclusiva Argentina y adyacencias

El presente documento tiene como objeto describir los principales ecosistemas marinos de la regió... more El presente documento tiene como objeto describir los principales ecosistemas marinos de la región (ecosistema costero bonaerense, plataforma media, norpatagónico, austral y talud) y aportar información biológica y pesquera de los recursos de importancia comercial más relevantes, así como de los restantes componentes biológicos que habitan esos ecosistemas (fito y zooplancton, invertebrados bentónicos). Se espera que esta información contribuya, en una primera instancia, a la planificación de futuras prospecciones sísmicas en el Mar Argentino, de forma tal de minimizar el eventual impacto que las mismas pudiesen causar sobre la biota de estos ecosistemas. También se brin- da información sobre la distribución de la flota pesquera y la normativa vigente de manejo para las dife- rentes pesquerías que se desarrollan en la ZEEA.Fil: Allega, Lucrecia. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Braverman, Mara Silvia. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y ...

Research paper thumbnail of Shapefiles of Figs 1 and 2 and Supplementary figures S1 to S6

The folder includes all the ArcGIS shapefiles used to make figures 1 and 2 and supplementary figu... more The folder includes all the ArcGIS shapefiles used to make figures 1 and 2 and supplementary figures S1 to S6. An excel file is also included which describes which field of which shapefile was used to make which figure

Research paper thumbnail of Data from: Pan-Atlantic analysis of the overlap of a highly migratory species, the leatherback turtle, with pelagic longline fisheries

Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation c... more Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation concern as a result of anthropogenic threats, of which incidental capture by fisheries is frequently identified. The last large populations of the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, occur in the Atlantic Ocean, but interactions with industrial fisheries could jeopardize recent positive population trends, making bycatch mitigation a priority. Here, we perform the first pan-Atlantic analysis of spatio-temporal distribution of the leatherback turtle and ascertain overlap with longline fishing effort. Data suggest that the Atlantic probably consists of two regional management units: northern and southern (the latter including turtles breeding in South Africa). Although turtles and fisheries show highly diverse distributions, we highlight nine areas of high susceptibility to potential bycatch (four in the northern Atlantic and five in the southern/equatorial Atlantic) that are worthy of further targeted investigation and mitigation. These are reinforced by reports of leatherback bycatch at eight of these sites. International collaborative efforts are needed, especially from nations hosting regions where susceptibility to bycatch is likely to be high within their exclusive economic zone (northern Atlantic: Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal, Spain, USA and Western Sahara; southern Atlantic: Angola, Brazil, Namibia and UK) and from nations fishing in these high-susceptibility areas, including those located in international waters

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de los desembarques declarados de condrictios a partir de la implementación de la veda en el área del Tratado del Río de la Plata y su Frente Marítimo (2006-2014)

En 2007 la Comision Tecnica Mixta del Frente Maritimo establecio un area de veda para el arrastre... more En 2007 la Comision Tecnica Mixta del Frente Maritimo establecio un area de veda para el arrastre de fondo en el rectangulo de pesca 3656 con el fin de proteger las agregaciones reproductivas y los juveniles de condrictios. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la evolucion de dicha medida, los desembarques de rayas y tiburones declarados durante el periodo 2006-2014 en dicho rectangulo y la distribucion de la flota antes y despues del establecimiento de la veda. En el periodo evaluado, la duracion de la veda se incremento de 59 a 151 dias y se observo una reduccion de las toneladas de rayas y tiburones declaradas en el area de la Zona Comun de Pesca Argentino-Uruguaya del rectangulo 3656 y un incremento de la participacion de dichas especies en los desembarques del area de jurisdiccion provincial. La misma tendencia se evidencio en las operaciones de pesca de noviembre a marzo al comparar la temporada 2006-2007 (sin veda) y la temporada 2012-2013 (con veda). En la temporada...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of remote sensing tools to predict focal areas for sea turtle conservation in the south‐western Atlantic

Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple haplotypes of Chelonia mydas juveniles in a threatened hotspot area in Southern Brazil

Genetics and Molecular Biology, 2021

Mixed stocks are described for Chelonia mydas and the frequency of haplotypes in feeding areas ca... more Mixed stocks are described for Chelonia mydas and the frequency of haplotypes in feeding areas can aid understanding of the genetic and ecological diversity, since with this information it is possible to identify the origin of the individuals. The current study aims to characterize and compare genetic diversity along the coast of Paraná with 17 other feeding areas in the Atlantic Ocean. A total of 285 samples from juveniles were DNA sequenced in the control region, resulting in the identification of 12 haplotypes, with a predominance of the CMA8 haplotype (69%) and the first registration of CMA23. For the study subjects, haplotypic and nucleotide diversity were 0.469 ± 0.032 and 0.00189 ± 0.00020, respectively, and comparisons with other feeding areas presented significant values for the majority of FST and ΦST. The results point to the importance of this region and provide evidence that over the years a mixed stock has used the region as a feeding area. This variation could be rela...

Research paper thumbnail of Categorización del estado de conservación de los anfibios de la República Argentina

Through the participation of nine specialists from different institutions from all over Argentina... more Through the participation of nine specialists from different institutions from all over Argentina and after more than a decade from the first Red List of threatened herpetofauna proposed by Asociacion Herpetologica Argentina in 2000, we assessed the conservation status of the argentine Testudines taxa, adding the new taxonomic, biological and ecological knowledge progresses made since then as well as applying methodological changes in the former assessment. As a result from the 14 turtles taxa recognized as present in Argentina, nine were included in the actual Red List under some degree of risk (three Critically Endangered, three Endangered, three Vulnerable). From the remaining ones, three were classified as Insufficiently Known and two as Not Threatened. In the classification of the three marine turtles that are frequently found in argentine coasts we adopted the IUCN (2011) Red List criteria. In relation with the former categorization, we included a new species registered in Arg...

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple-threats analysis for loggerhead sea turtles in the southwest Atlantic Ocean

Endangered Species Research, 2020

Priority-setting approaches for widely distributed and long-lived species can be challenging. Thi... more Priority-setting approaches for widely distributed and long-lived species can be challenging. This is especially true for sea turtles, which are species of conservation concern. The aim of this study was to conduct a detailed analysis of threats to identify, quantify and prioritize the main impacts to the loggerhead Caretta caretta population in the southwest Atlantic (SWA) region. A matrix of relative threats was constructed. Threats were identified and classified for 8 different life stages (nesting females, eggs, hatchlings, swim-frenzy transitional stage, juveniles-neritic, juveniles-oceanic, adults-neritic, adults-oceanic) and for 3 ecosystems inhabited by sea turtles (terrestrial, neritic and oceanic). Results indicated that fisheries bycatch represents a major threat for loggerheads in the SWA. The trawl fishery was identified as the main source of mortality for neritic juvenile and adult turtles, whereas juveniles in oceanic areas are mostly impacted by surface longlines. In...

Research paper thumbnail of Distribution of megafaunal species in the Southwestern Atlantic: key ecological areas and opportunities for marine conservation

ICES Journal of Marine Science, 2016

During the last centuries, populations of marine megafauna—such as seabirds, turtles, and mammals... more During the last centuries, populations of marine megafauna—such as seabirds, turtles, and mammals—were intensively exploited. At present, other threats such as bycatch and pollution affect these species, which play key ecological roles in marine ecosystems as apex consumers and/or nutrient transporters. This study analyses the distribution of six megafaunal species (Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, Dermochelys coriacea, Thalassarche melanophris, Otaria flavescens, and Arctocephalus australis) coexisting in the Southwestern Atlantic to discuss their protection in terms of current management strategies in the region. Through the prediction of the species potential distributions and their relation to bathymetry, sea temperature and oceanographic fronts, key ecological areas are defined from a multi-taxa perspective. Information on the distribution of 70 individuals (18 sea turtles, 19 albatrosses, and 33 otariids) was obtained through satellite tracking conducted during 2007–2013 and a...

Research paper thumbnail of FossetteS 2014 ProcRSocB

Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation c... more Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yet many species are of conservation concern as a result of anthropogenic threats, of which incidental capture by fisheries is frequently identified. The last large populations of the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, occur in the Atlantic Ocean, but interactions with industrial fisheries could jeopardize recent positive population trends, making bycatch mitigation a priority. Here, we perform the first pan-Atlantic analysis of spatio-temporal distribution of the leatherback turtle and ascertain overlap with longline fishing effort. Data suggest that the Atlantic probably consists of two regional management units: northern and southern (the latter including turtles breeding in South Africa). Although turtles and fisheries show highly diverse distributions, we highlight nine areas of high susceptibility to potential bycatch (four in the northern Atlantic and five in the southern/equatorial Atlantic) that are worthy of...

Research paper thumbnail of Are stocks of immature loggerhead sea turtles always mixed?

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2015