DOI: 10.5061/dryad.zw3r228dk
title: Case study data 2022: The effects of dune plant roots on loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nest success

description: Sand dunes are supported by the extensive root systems of dune plants that
 anchor the dune and protect it from erosion. While all plants that grow on
 the dunes support their structure, invasive plants can outcompete native
 and non-native dune plants for resources such as nutrients, sunlight, and
 space to grow. During the summer, sea turtles lay nests on beaches and
 near dunes; however, their eggs and hatchlings are at risk of destruction
 and entrapment by dune plant root penetration. Dune plant roots can
 penetrate sea turtle nest cavities, thus decreasing the hatching success
 of the eggs and the emergence success of the hatchlings. The purpose of
 this project was to determine how plant roots impact loggerhead sea turtle
 (Caretta caretta) nest success on Casey Key, Sarasota County, Florida,
 USA, and to assess which factors affect plant root invasion. We predicted
 (1) a negative impact on loggerhead sea turtle nests by plant roots, (2)
 invasive plants have a larger impact than native or non-native plants, and
 (3) the distance from the dune affects whether roots will penetrate the
 nest. Data from nests excavated in 2022 were used to determine the extent
 of root penetration and species of plants were documented. Statistical
 models were used to identify which variables had the greatest effect on
 root penetration. The results of this study conclude that root presence in
 the nest cavity decreases both hatch and emergence success of hatchlings
 within the nest and that nests closer to the dune are more likely to have
 a higher proportion of root damage and lower hatch and emergence success.
 This study helps advance understanding of how and if invasive plants
 affect sea turtle reproductive success and helps inform coastal management
 aimed at conserving threatened loggerhead populations.
description: Raw case study data was collected by excavating loggerhead sea
 turtle nests and identifying surrounding plants in 2022.
description: # Case study data 2022: The effects of dune plant roots on loggerhead
 turtle (*Caretta caretta*) nest success ## General Information The raw
 data presented in Redding et al. (2024) are included. This study aimed to
 understand the impact of dune plant roots on the eggs of threatened
 loggerhead sea turtles. Data per nest, including zone number, location,
 distance to the dune and the high water mark (m), excavation date, nest
 chamber measurements (cm), vegetation and root presence, egg status
 counts, and hatch and emergence successes, are included in the file
 'ReddingRootsCaseStudy22.csv'. Please review methods in Redding
 et al. (2024) for information on data collection. Year Collected: 2022
 Species: Loggerhead (*Caretta caretta*) sea turtles Collection site: Casey
 Key, Florida (93 nests) ## Data **ReddingRootsCaseStudy22.csv** A. NestID
 - Nest identification number B. ZoneID - Zone of nest locations C. Lat -
 Latitude of nest D. Long - Longitude of nest E. ExDate - Excavation date
 F. Species - Sea turtle species G. Key - Key where nest was located H.
 VegPresence - Presence/absence (1/0) of vegetation around nest I. VegType
 - Species of vegetation around nest J. RootPresence - Presence/absence
 (1/0) of roots around nest K. PlantRoot - Species of plant roots belonged
 to L. Comments - Comments about roots M. DistBarrier - Distance of nest to
 the barrier (m) N. DistHighWater - Distance of nest to the high water mark
 (m) O. TotalDist - Total width of beach (m) P. LocOnBeach - Location of
 nest on the beach Q. Division - Which division nest was located on beach;
 beach was divided into thirds R. SurfaceDepth - Depth from surface to
 first egg (cm) S. BottomDepth - Depth from surface to bottom of nest
 chamber (cm) T. InternalDepth - Internal nest chamber depth (cm) U.
 CavityWidth - Width of the nest cavity, from wall to wall (cm) V. Hatched
 - Number of eggs hatched W. Unhatched - Number of eggs unhatched X.
 Developed_UH - Number of unhatched eggs with developed hatchling Y.
 LivePip - Number of live pipped hatchlings Z. DeadPip - Number of dead
 pipped hatchlings AA. Yolkless - Number of yolkless eggs AB. EncasedTotal
 - Number of total root-encased eggs AC. DevEnc_UH - Number of root-encased
 unhatched eggs with developed hatchling AD. H_Encased - Number of
 root-encased hatched eggs AE. UH_Encased - Number of root-encased
 unhatched eggs AF. InvadedTotal - Number of total root-invaded eggs AG.
 H_Invaded - Number of root-invaded hatched eggs AH. UH_Invaded - Number of
 root-invaded unhatched eggs AI. Live - Number of live hatchlings AJ. Dead
 - Number of dead hatchlings AK. Depredated - Depredation of nest (yes/no;
 1/0) AL. RootDamageProp - Proportion of root damaged eggs AM. HS - Hatch
 success AN. ES - Emergence success AO. TotalEggs - Total eggs within the
 nest AP. Notes - Notes on nest ## Sharing/access Information N/A ##
 Code/Software N/A