@article{fdi:010061486,
  title = {{N}umerical dispersal simulations and genetics help explain the origin of hawksbill sea turtles in {A}scension {I}sland},
  author = {{P}utman, {N}. {F}. and {A}breu-{G}robois, {F}. {A}. and {B}roderick, {A}. {C}. and {C}iofi, {C}. and {F}ormia, {A}. and {G}odley, {B}. {J}. and {S}troud, {S}. and {P}elembe, {T}. and {V}erley, {P}hilippe and {W}illiams, {N}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{L}ong-distance dispersal and ontogenetic shifts in habitat use are characteristic of numerous marine species and have important ecological, evolutionary, and management implications. {T}hese processes, however, are often challenging to study due to the vast areas involved. {W}e used genetic markers and simulations of physical transport within an ocean circulation model to gain understanding into the origin ofjuvenile hawksbill sea turtles ({E}retmochelys imbricata) found at {A}scension {I}sland, a foraging ground that is thousands of kilometers from known nesting beaches. {R}egional origin of genetic markers suggests that turtles are from {W}estern {A}tlantic (86%) and {E}astern {A}tlantic (14%) rookeries. {I}n contrast, numerical simulations of transport by ocean currents suggest that passive dispersal from the western sources would be negligible and instead would primarily be from the {E}ast, involving rookeries along {W}estern {A}frica (i.e., {P}rincipe {I}sland) and, potentially, from as far as the {I}ndian {O}cean (e.g., {M}ayotte and the {S}eychelles). {G}iven that genetic analysis identified the presence of a haplotype endemic to {B}razilian hawksbill rookeries at {A}scension, we examined the possible role of swimming behavior by juvenile hawksbills from {NE} {B}razil on their current-borne transport to {A}scension {I}sland by performing numerical experiments in which swimming behavior was simulated for virtual particles (simulated turtles). {W}e found that oriented swimming substantially influenced the distribution of particles, greatly altering the proportion of particles dispersing into the {N}orth {A}tlantic and {S}outh {A}tlantic. {A}ssigning location-dependent orientation behavior to particles allowed them to reach {A}scension {I}sland, remain in favorable temperatures, encounter productive foraging areas, and return to the vicinity of their natal site. {T}he age at first arrival to {A}scension (4.5-5.5 years) of these particles corresponded well to estimates of hawksbill age based on their size. {O}ur findings suggest that ocean currents and swimming behavior play an important role in the oceanic ecology of sea turtles and other marine animals.},
  keywords = {{D}ispersal ; mt{DNA} ; {O}cean circulation model ; {S}ea turtle ; {ATLANTIQUES} {ILES} ; {ASCENSION} {ILE} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {E}xperimental {M}arine {B}iology and {E}cology},
  volume = {450},
  numero = {{S}pecial {I}ssue},
  pages = {98--108},
  ISSN = {0022-0981},
  year = {2014},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jembe.2013.10.026},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061486},
}