A methodological approach for determining sea turtle responses to vessel traffic using passive in situ monitoring

A methodological approach for determining sea turtle responses to vessel traffic using passive in situ monitoring | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A methodological approach for determining sea turtle responses to vessel traffic using passive in situ monitoring Mitchell Rider, Chris Sasso, Neil Hammerschlag This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9450833/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Vessel strikes are the leading cause of sea turtle strandings. However, there is limited information on how the presence of vessel traffic can impact sea turtle behavior and space use. Currently, research into these responses consists primarily of lab studies, as in situ studies pose logistical challenges. In this study, we present a method to understand these responses in the field using both acoustic telemetry and passive acoustic monitoring to quantify turtle movement and vessel traffic, respectively. Between 2019 and 2022, we tracked green (Chelonia mydas, n = 7) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta, n = 6) turtles within Biscayne National Park (Florida, United States). We used two miniature acoustic telemetry arrays (5 receivers each), with a central passive acoustic recorder in each array to quantify vessel traffic. In addition to recording turtle presence, data from transmitters containing tri-axial accelerometers allowed us to quantify turtle activity. We used generalized linear models to determine the relationship of turtle residency and activity to hourly and daily vessel traffic. Our results indicated a weak but significant negative relationship between turtle residency and vessel traffic. We also observed reduced activity levels in response to increased vessel presence. This study demonstrates a viable in situ method for quantifying the sub-lethal impacts of vessel traffic to sea turtles, revealing that even vessel presence alone can alter sea turtle behavior. These findings provide critical information for managing vessel activity in protected areas to mitigate behavioral disturbances, not just direct mortality. acoustic telemetry passive acoustics boat traffic Chelonia mydas Caretta caretta anthropogenic activity Full Text Supplementary Files ESM1.pdf ESM2.pdf ESM3.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 27 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 19 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 17 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9450833","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":630422091,"identity":"5429df07-b73a-482a-8966-cb696ce2be87","order_by":0,"name":"Mitchell 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