Predators, prey, and the ecological roles of sea turtles

Abstract

Predator-prey interactions are critical in shaping behavior, ecology, population dynamics, and life histories and are central to community and ecosystem dynamics. Sea turtles undergo dramatic shifts in body size and often in habitats (e.g., Musick and Limpus 1997, Plotkin 2003). Not surprisingly, their interactions with both predators and prey vary considerably through ontogeny. In addition, the need to come to the surface to replenish oxygen stores has important implications for both foraging behavior and predator avoidance. In this chapter, I place predator-prey (including primary producers) interactions of sea turtles in a theoretical framework from both a behavioral and a trophic perspective and conclude with a consideration of how these interactions might shape the ecological roles of sea turtles. I do not investigate the diets of individual species or food selection, which are covered in Chapter 9 (see also Bjorndal 1997 for a review). I hope that this chapter will stimulate further studies of sea turtles as both prey and consumers that will ultimately increase our understanding of the roles, and importance, of these reptiles in their ecosystems.