Projects - LAJ (Liesa) Celie MSc

Functional Consequences of Sea Turtle Hybridization

As keystone species, sea turtles connect different habitats through migration and maintain habitat balance through their foraging behaviour. As such, they increase the habitat productivity and support the ecosystem services. In combination with their endangered status, this has led them to be the subject of many conservation efforts. In the last 130 years, interspecific hybridization in sea turtles has been observed, but recently it has been reported more frequently, raising questions about its effects. While hybridization may promote genetic diversity and increase their adaptive potential, it could also disrupt functional roles and ultimately lead to species loss.

This project will determine whether a further increase in the percentage of sea turtle hybrids is to be expected and how hybridization may alter the keystone roles sea turtles currently fulfill in their environment. We will study three sea turtle species in two breeding sites, using a complementary combination of nest monitoring, genetic analysis, stable isotope analysis and behavioural assays. This approach will allow us to conduct large-scale genetic screening to identify hybrids and test Hubbs’ “desperation hypothesis”. We will assess whether hybridization is likely to alter the species’ functional role in the ecosystem and examine hybrid fertility. Consequently, we will make predictions about the viability of sea turtle hybrids, considering the selection occurring on hybrid alleles.

Our project aims to generate important insights into the role of hybridization in the ecology and conservation of endangered species, contribute to evidence-based decision-making concerning the management of sea turtles, and provide essential tools and knowledge for future research and management.