Smith, Caitlin, Finlayson, K, Barraza, A, Young, E, Gilby, Ben, Van De Merwe, Jason, and Townsend, Kathy (2024) Distinct population-wide differences in contaminants and blood parameters in foraging green sea turtles. In: Proceedings of the 6th Australian Marine Turtle Symposium. From: Proceedings of the 6th Australian Marine Turtle Symposium, 14-16 October 2024, Townsville, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

The increasing diversity, extent and concentration of contaminants have breached ecologically meaningful thresholds, heralding severe consequences for marine ecosystems and essential ecological processes. While the impacts and extent of many pollutants remain understudied, the effect of pollutants on the health of marine animals, including sea turtles, is gaining more attention due to their ability to be effective ecological proxies for anthropogenic impacts. This study assessed the health implications of contaminant uptake for three foraging populations of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Health assessments, including visual, biochemical, and haematological evaluations, were conducted on 45 immature green sea turtles across two offshore (Heron, n = 15, and Lady Elliot Island, n = 15) and one inshore (Hervey Bay, n = 15) foraging sites. An in vitro cytotoxicity assay using green turtle fibroblasts was used to test the toxicity of blood extracts. Additionally, trace element analysis identified concentrations of 14 essential and non-essential elements in whole blood. High cobalt and manganese concentrations, with means up to four times the maximum reference interval, were found for the Hervey Bay population. Body condition was linked to variations in urea (mmol/L), albumin (g/L) levels, packed cell volume (%), and calcium (mmol/L) highlighting the potential susceptibility to renal disease, dehydration, catabolism, and chronic debilitation due to contaminant exposure. Surprisingly, our findings indicated higher cytotoxicity in the two offshore foraging sites of Heron and Lady Elliot Island (4.33 ± 0.83 and 3.89 ± 0.57 toxicity units (TU) respectively) despite turtles showing no visible signs of poor health at these locations. This contrasted to Hervey Bay, where turtles showed lower cytotoxicity (0.35 ± 0.05 TU) but also exhibited signs of emaciation, dehydration, and low body condition. This discrepancy underscores the complex nature of ecotoxicology and health assessments in sea turtles.

Item ID:	93644
Item Type:	Conference Item (Abstract / Summary)
Related URLs:	https://ausmarineturtlesymposium.com.au/...
Date Deposited:	29 Sep 2026 01:29
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310305 Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1805 Marine systems and management > 180599 Marine systems and management not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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