Contribuição das desovas de tartarugas marinhas a biocenose de praias arenosas

Abstract

Sandy beaches, interface environments between ocean and continent, shelter a diversity of life, ranging from microorganisms to vertebrates, but are generally characterized by low primary productivity, as the availability of nutrients is relatively low in the system. Besides sediments, beaches and seas exchange a variety of organic materials, and animals from both habitats can move from one place to another, as is the case with nesting sea turtles on the mainland. In order to verify their participation in the food webs of sandy beaches, the interactions of sea turtle spawning with other organisms were analyzed through a systematic literature review. With the hypothesis “sea turtle spawning may represent pulses of organic matter for the biocenosis that inhabits this oligotrophic ecosystem”, a literary search was carried out in databases (following the methodology of the PRISMA EcoEvo protocol), aiming to point out which are the interactions that occur between the nests of sea turtles (eggs and hatchlings) and the typical organisms of the ecosystem in question. It was also evaluated which of the interactions was the most studied, and it was identified the type (positive or negative) of potential impact for sea turtles, as well as for other organisms that inhabit a given area, was identified. This study also aimed to know the most recurrent organisms in interactions with sea turtle nests. Only articles and notes published by journals and peer-reviewed were considered, without limitations of temporality or geographic location for the selection of studies. Predation was the most studied type of ecological relationship, 61 predator taxa were recorded, with crabs being the most recurrent group. Organic matter from the spawning of sea turtles was also identified as an enrichment factor for the local vegetation, in addition to influencing the occurrence of microbiota and nematodes. In summary, there are more studies that address interactions that negatively impact sea turtles than studies that address the benefits of turtles for the environment.