Reich Kimberly J, Bjorndal Karen A, Bolten Alan B
Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, Department of Zoology, PO Box 118525, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Biol Lett. 2007 Dec 22;3(6):712-4. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0394.
Ignorance of the location or inaccessible locations of lifestages can impede the study and management of species. We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to identify the habitats and diets and to estimate the duration of a 'missing' lifestage: the early juvenile stage of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas. Stable isotopes in scute from young herbivorous green turtles in shallow-water habitats revealed that they spend 3-5 years as carnivores in oceanic habitats before making a rapid ontogenetic shift in diet and habitat. Stable isotopes in persistent and continuously growing tissues, such as some fish scales, bird bills and claws and mammal hair and claws, can be used to evaluate the ecology of inaccessible lifestages.
对物种生活阶段位置的不了解或难以到达的生活阶段位置可能会阻碍对物种的研究和管理。我们利用碳和氮的稳定同位素来确定栖息地和饮食,并估计一个“缺失”生活阶段的持续时间:绿海龟(Chelonia mydas)的幼龟早期阶段。来自浅水栖息地的幼年食草绿海龟盾片中的稳定同位素显示,它们在海洋栖息地以食肉动物的身份度过3至5年,然后在饮食和栖息地方面发生快速的个体发育转变。稳定同位素存在于一些持久且持续生长的组织中,如某些鱼鳞、鸟喙和爪子以及哺乳动物的毛发和爪子,可用于评估难以触及的生活阶段的生态。