According to the New York Times, loggerhead nestings have recently dropped almost 7 percent in the Gulf of Mexico. With a myriad of threats from stormy oceans and climate change to land development and light pollution, these spectacular animals are in real trouble.
After encouraging gains in the 1990s, a federal report now shows populations of loggerhead sea turtles dropping, possibly as a result of commercial fishing.
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Wow, this example is on the HW I'm turning in for my math bio class (w/ real data from 1994). It turns out that protecting the hatchlings is guaranteed to do nothing, while protecting the reproductive-age *adults* would -- especially those in the oldest of the five age groups.
The NYT article is vague on whether or not the environmentalist groups are doing this or not, unless commercial fishing affects mostly adult turtles (I don't know). But toward the end it says that some groups are trying to protect the hatchlings -- cute as they may be, it's the old fogies who count.
Another reason even touchy-feely biologists must learn a little linear algebra and modeling! I know they exist (my prof strikes me as a conservationist), but it doesn't appear typical if they aren't quoted in the NYT as saying, "Well, if we alter the hatchling survival rate, it won't do much for population growth, but it would if we focused on adults."
You're correct agnostic. I expect the majority of marine biologists recognize it's the adults that are critical in these populations. The report speaks to the larger scale problems (commercial fishing et al.) which lead to decreased nesting and in turn, decreased numbers in the next generation. It's a cyclical feedback process.
Aha, then it's the innumerate reporters again. Those baby turtles are just too cute not to put in the spotlight -- won't someone please think of the children??!!
Really excellent.Thanks for all.