The neritic environment is rich in resources and as such plays a crucial role as foraging habitat for multi-species marine assemblages, including sea turtles. However, this habitat also experiences a wide array of anthropogenic threats. To prioritize conservation funds, targeting areas that support multi-species assemblages is ideal. This is particularly important in the Gulf of Mexico where restoration actions are currently ongoing following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To better understand these areas in the Gulf of Mexico, we characterized two multi-species aggregations of sea turtles captured in different neritic habitats. We described species composition and size classes of turtles, and calculated body condition index for 642 individuals of three species captured from 2011 to 2019: 13.6% loggerheads (Caretta caretta), 44.9% Kemp’s ridleys (Lepidochelys kempii) and 41.4% green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Species composition differed between the two sites with more loggerheads captured in seagrass and a greater proportion of green turtles captured in sand bottom. Turtles in sand bottom were smaller and weighed less than those captured in seagrass. Although small and large turtles were captured at both sites, the proportions differed between sites. Body condition index of green turtles was lower in sand habitat than seagrass habitat; there was no difference for Kemp’s ridleys or loggerheads. In general, smaller green turtles had a higher body condition index than larger green turtles. We have identified another habitat type used by juvenile sea turtle species in the northern Gulf of Mexico. In addition, we highlight the importance of habitat selection by immature turtles recruiting from the oceanic to the neritic environment, particularly for green turtles.

中文翻译：

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使用不同浅海栖息地的两种多物种海龟组合的物种组成、大小和适应性变化

浅海环境资源丰富，因此作为包括海龟在内的多物种海洋组合的觅食栖息地起着至关重要的作用。然而，这个栖息地也面临着广泛的人为威胁。为了优先考虑保护资金，目标是支持多物种组合的区域是理想的。这在墨西哥湾尤为重要，在深水地平线漏油事件之后，该地区目前正在进行恢复行动。为了更好地了解墨西哥湾的这些区域，我们对在不同浅海栖息地捕获的两种多物种海龟聚集进行了表征。我们描述了海龟的物种组成和大小等级，并计算了 2011 年至 2019 年捕获的三个物种的 642 只个体的身体状况指数：13.6% 蠵龟 (Caretta caretta)，44。9% 的 Kemp'sridleys (Lepidochelys kempii) 和 41.4% 的绿海龟 (Chelonia mydas)。两个地点的物种组成不同，在海草中捕获的蠵螈更多，而在沙底捕获的绿海龟比例更大。沙底中的海龟比海草中捕获的海龟更小，重量更轻。尽管两个地点都捕获了大小乌龟，但地点之间的比例不同。沙生境绿海龟体况指数低于海草生境；坎普的怪人或争吵者没有区别。一般来说，体型较小的绿海龟比体型较大的绿海龟的身体状况指数更高。我们已经确定了墨西哥湾北部海龟幼年物种使用的另一种栖息地类型。此外，