ESR prepress abstract   -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01388

ABSTRACT: Resilience is the ability of an ecosystem or species to maintain key functions and processes by resisting or adapting to changes when faced with stress. In order to survive stressful environmental conditions caused by climate change, populations must respond via genetic adaptation (microevolution) or phenotypic plasticity. We used 25 years of green turtle nesting data from Lanyu Island in Taitung County, Taiwan, to determine if climate change influenced nesting biology during this time. We found that the recorded global increase in air temperature did not negatively impact the nesting green turtle population, likely due to the fact that nests are protected in a shaded area, and that there is little hunting pressure in their foraging areas, or during their migrations. Given this, we suggest that management actions at this site should focus on anthropogenic impacts such as light pollution and nesting habitat suitability rather than incubation temperatures.