The spatial ecology of marine turtles

Abstract

Gaining an understanding of the spatial ecology of marine turtles is essential for elucidating aspects of their life history ecology and for effective conservation management. This thesis presents a collection of chapters seeking to investigate the spatial ecology of this taxon. An array of technologies and methodologies are employed to ask both ecological and spatial management questions. Work focuses on foraging and thermal ecology, spatial appropriateness of Marine Protected Areas, movement models to describe habitat utilisation, analysis of data from sightings and strandings schemes and the use of a large synoptic fisheries dataset to describe fisheries patterns and putative risks to marine megavertebrates.