Turtle Nesting

Citation:

Citation Information:

Originator: FWC-FMRI (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Florida Marine Research Institute)
Title: ETS_sea turtle_Florida statewide nesting beach survey 1979- present
Series Information:

Description:

Abstract:
The State of Florida, through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Marine Research Institute, coordinates the Statewide Nesting Beach Survey program (SNBS). The SNBS was initiated in 1979 under a cooperative agreement between FWC (then DNR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its purpose is to document the total distribution, seasonality, and abundance of nesting by sea turtles in Florida. Three species of sea turtles, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), nest regularly on Florida’s beaches. All the species are listed as either Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Survey data are derived from observations of tracks and other nesting signs left on the beach by sea turtles. Species identifications and determinations of nesting or non-nesting emergences are based on the evaluation of features of the track and the nest. Data are gathered through a network of permit holders consisting of private conservation groups, volunteers, consultants, academics, local governments, federal agencies, and the Florida Park Service. Results are used by managers to evaluate and minimize impacts to turtles and their nests due to human activities such as coastal construction, beach renourishment, and recreation, as well as to identify important areas for enhanced protection or land acquisition.
Purpose:
The purpose is to monitor marine turtle nesting activity to determine statewide distribution and relative abundance of nesting by three species of marine turtles. The State of Florida, through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Marine Research Institute, coordinates the Statewide Nesting Beach Survey program (SNBS). The SNBS was initiated in 1979 under a cooperative agreement between FWC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its purpose is to document the total distribution, seasonality, and abundance of nesting by sea turtles in Florida. Three species of sea turtles, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), nest regularly on Florida’s beaches. All the species are listed as either Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Survey data are derived from observations of tracks and other nesting signs left on the beach by sea turtles. Species identifications and determinations of nesting or non-nesting emergences are based on the evaluation of features of the track and the nest. Data are gathered through a network of permit holders consisting of private conservation groups, volunteers, consultants, academics, local governments, federal agencies, and the Florida Park Service. Results are used by managers to evaluate and minimize impacts to turtles and their nests due to human activities such as coastal construction, beach renourishment, and recreation, as well as to identify important areas for enhanced protection or land acquisition.
Supplemental Information: There are limitations to the use of the SNBS database imposed by the data collection methodology employed. Changes in survey boundaries for individual beaches and variability in survey frequency (days per week) and period (beginning and ending dates) occur in the SNBS program, making it inappropriate for assessing population trends. Population monitoring is the goal of a complementary DEP program, the Index Nesting Beach Survey Program. Not all beaches in Florida that are used for nesting by sea turtles are monitored, and thus nest totals represent a minimum estimate. Evaluation of changes in the number of nests over time in any area must take into account changes in survey effort. Survey effort is defined herein as the number of kilometers of beach that are monitored for nesting activity. It an imperfect measure, however, because it does not factor in survey frequency and period on individual beaches, which are also components of effort. Survey efforts are targeted principally at the loggerhead turtle. Green turtles and leatherbacks have overlapping but different nesting seasons and thus they are not fully represented in the data. The total number of nests for each of these species are underestimated, and the first and last nest date of the year do not always accurately reflect their respective nesting seasons. Determination of nesting success, i.e., whether an emergence has resulted in eggs being deposited, or in a “false crawl,” can be difficult, especially in areas where nest densities are high or in situations where weather has erased the marks left in the sand by the turtle. To protect the integrity of the nests, assessment of nesting success is made visually and is not confirmed by digging. Thus, there is opportunity for error in this determination.
Time Period of Content:

Time Period Information:

Range of Dates/Times:

Beginning Date: 1/1/1979

Currentness Reference: ground condition

Status:

Progress: In Work
Maintenance and Update Frequency: Annually

Spatial Domain:

Description of Geographic Extent: All coastal beaches of Florida are covered.
Bounding Coordinates:

West Bounding Coordinate: -87.513066
East Bounding Coordinate: -79.884619
North Bounding Coordinate: 30.728376
South Bounding Coordinate: 24.482112

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme Keyword Thesaurus: FMRItheme
Theme Keyword: turtles
Theme Keyword: threatened and endangered (turtles, whales, manatees, sturgeon)
Theme Keyword: monitoring
Theme Keyword: coastal

Place:

Place Keyword Thesaurus: FMRIplace
Place Keyword: Florida
Place Keyword: statewide

Stratum:

Temporal:

Taxonomy:

Access Constraints: Available
Use Constraints: All data must be credited to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Florida Marine Research Institute.
Point of Contact:

Contact Information:

Contact Person Primary:

Contact Person: Principal Investigator
Contact Organization: FWC-FMRI (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Florida Marine Research Institute)

Contact Position: Principal Investigator
Contact Address:

Address Type: mailing and physical address
Address: Florida Marine Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast
City: St. Petersburg
State or Province: FL
Postal Code: 33701-5095
Country: USA

Contact Electronic Mail Address: metadata@fwc.state.fl.us

Data Set Credit:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Florida Marine Research Institute's Endangered and Threatened Species Marine Turtle Program; Florida Marine Turtle Permit Holders; Florida Game and Fish Commission's Nongame Wildlife Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Security Information:

Security Classification System: None
Security Classification: Unclassified

Native Data Set Environment: DOS, Number of Records: 2086, File Size (MB): 0.62, Marine Turtle Nesting Summary Questionnaire is used when collecting data

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology Type: Field
Methodology Description:
Sites are chosen where nesting is reported and surveyors available. Sampling frequency is variable, but mostly 7 days/week.

Direct Spatial Reference Method: Vector
Point and Vector Object Information:

SDTS Terms Description:

SDTS Point and Vector Object Type: String
Point and Vector Object Count: 185

Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude Resolution: 0.0
Longitude Resolution: 0.0
Geographic Coordinate Units: Decimal degrees

Planar:

Map Projection:

Map Projection Name: Albers Conical Equal Area

Standard Parallel: 24.0
Standard Parallel: 31.5
Longitude of Central Meridian: -84.0
False Easting: 400000.0
False Northing: 0.0

Planar Coordinate Information:

Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: Coordinate Pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 1.0
Ordinate Resolution: 1.0

Planar Distance Units: m

Horizontal Datum Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257

Detailed Description:

Entity Type:

Attribute:

Attribute Label: Beachname
Attribute Definition: Name of beach

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CC_False
Attribute Definition: Number of Caretta caretta false crawls

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CC_Nest
Attribute Definition: Number of Caretta carretta nests

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CCFirst
Attribute Definition: First date of Caretta caretta nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CCLast
Attribute Definition: Last date of Caretta caretta nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CM_False
Attribute Definition: Number of Chelonia mydas false crawlsification

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CM_Nest
Attribute Definition: Number of Chelonia mydas nests

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CMFirst
Attribute Definition: First date of Chelonia mydas nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: CMLast
Attribute Definition: Last date of Chelonia mydas nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: Countyname
Attribute Definition: Name of county

Attribute:

Attribute Label: DC_False
Attribute Definition: Number of Dermochelys coriacea false crawls

Attribute:

Attribute Label: DC_Nest
Attribute Definition: Number of Dermochelys coriaceanests

Attribute:

Attribute Label: DCFirst
Attribute Definition: First date of Dermochelys coriacea nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: DCLast
Attribute Definition: Last date of Dermochelys coriaceanest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: EI_False
Attribute Definition: Number of Eretmochelys imbricata false crawls

Attribute:

Attribute Label: EI_Nest
Attribute Definition: Number of Eretmochelys imbricata nests

Attribute:

Attribute Label: EIFirst
Attribute Definition: First date of Eretmochelys imbricatanest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: EILast
Attribute Definition: Last date of Eretmochelys imbricatacrawl

Attribute:

Attribute Label: Length
Attribute Definition: Length of beach
Attribute Domain Values:

Attribute:

Attribute Label: LK_False
Attribute Definition: Number of Lepidochelys kempiifalse crawl

Attribute:

Attribute Label: LK_Nest
Attribute Definition: Number of Lepidochelys kempiinest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: LKFirst
Attribute Definition: First date of Lepidochelys kempii nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: LkLast
Attribute Definition: Last date of Lepidochelys kempii nest

Attribute:

Attribute Label: Year
Attribute Definition: Year of nesting record
Attribute Definition Source: the authority of the definition.
Attribute Value Accuracy Information:

Attribute Value Accuracy Explanation: the definition of the Attribute Value Accuracy measure and units, and a description of how the estimate was derived.

Attribute Measurement Frequency: As needed

Distributor:

Contact Information:

Contact Person Primary:

Contact Person: Group Metadata Technician
Contact Organization: FWC-FMRI (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Florida Marine Research Institute)

Contact Position: Metadata Technician
Contact Address:

Address Type: mailing address
Address: Florida Marine Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast
City: St. Petersburg
State or Province: FL
Postal Code: 33701-5095
Country: USA

Contact Voice Telephone: 727-896-8626
Contact Facsimile Telephone: 727-823-0166
Contact Electronic Mail Address: metadata@fwc.state.fl.us
Hours of Service: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern time

Distribution Liability: This data set is in the public domain, and the recipient may not assert any proprietary rights thereto nor represent it to anyone as other than a FWC-FMRI produced data set; it is provided "as-is" without warranty of any kind, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The user assumes all responsibility for the accuracy and suitability of this data set for a specific application. In no event will the staff of the Florida Marine Research Institute be liable for any damages, including lost profits, lost savings, or other incidental or consequential damages arising from the use of or the inability to use this data set.

Fees: none
Ordering Instructions: Contact Group Metadata Technician
Turnaround: Approximately ten working days, depending on amount of information requested.

Non-digital Form: paper
Fees: none
Ordering Instructions: Contact Group Metadata Technician
Turnaround: Approximately ten working days, depending on amount of information requested.

Time Period Information:

Metadata Date: 03/21/2000
Metadata Review Date: 09/30/2003
Metadata Contact:

Contact Information:

Contact Person Primary:

Contact Person: Mosier, Andrea
Contact Organization: FWC-FMRI (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission-Florida Marine Research Institute)

Contact Address:

Address Type: mailing and physical address
Address: Florida Marine Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast
City: St. Petersburg
State or Province: FL
Postal Code: 33701-5095
Country: USA

Contact Voice Telephone: 727-896-8626
Contact Facsimile Telephone: 727-823-0166
Contact Electronic Mail Address: metadata@fwc.state.fl.us

Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: 1998
Metadata Time Convention: local time
Metadata Security Information:

Metadata Security Classification System: None
Metadata Security Classification: Available

User Defined Memo:

Label:
Value: There are limitations to the use of the SNBS database imposed by the data collection methodology employed. These limitations are discussed in full in the aforementioned publication. General caveats include: 1. Changes in survey boundaries for individual beaches and variability in survey frequency (days per week) and period (beginning and ending dates) occur in the SNBS program, making it inappropriate for assessing population trends. Population monitoring is the goal of a complementary DEP program, the Index Nesting Beach Survey Program. 2. Not all beaches in Florida that are used for nesting by sea turtles are monitored, and thus nest totals represent a minimum estimate. 3. Evaluation of changes in the number of nests over time in any area must take into account changes in survey effort. Survey effort is defined herein as the number of kilometers of beach that are monitored for nesting activity. It an imperfect measure, however, because it does not factor in survey frequency and period on individual beaches, which are also components of effort. 4. Survey efforts are targeted principally at the loggerhead turtle. Green turtles and leatherbacks have overlapping but different nesting seasons and thus they are not fully represented in the data. The total number of nests for each of these species are underestimated, and the first and last nest date of the year do not always accurately reflect their respective nesting seasons. 5. Determination of nesting success, i.e., whether an emergence has resulted in eggs being deposited, or in a "false crawl," can be difficult, especially in areas where nest densities are high or in situations where weather has erased the marks left in the sand by the turtle. To protect the integrity of the nests, assessment of nesting success is made visually and is not confirmed by digging. Thus, there is opportunity for error in this determination.