TurtleResC

TurtleResC will use innovative techniques to address knowledge gaps limiting our understanding on how sea turtles will cope with climate change.

Specifically, it will:

1. investigate the relationships between climate variables and breeding migrations, to infer if sea turtles are able to adjust their timing of breeding to match suitable incubation conditions,
2. assess Atlantic green turtle spatial distribution and connectivity (through genetics and satellite tracking) between breeding and feeding areas, to estimate their ecological niche, and
3. explore foraging habitat quality and the usefulness of sea turtles to identify novel foraging habitats in West Africa, particularly seagrass habitats.

This project will provide data for biodiversity managers and promote the creation and reinforcement of broad-scale collaborative networks of researchers, biodiversity managers and local stakeholders, encouraging far-reaching conservation actions with larger impact, and contributing to attract funding, particularly to support research in developing countries in West Africa.