• East Pacific green turtle oceanic stage duration and trophic status

The East Pacific green turtle is characterized by a complex life history, occupying different habitats at different life stages. After emerging from eggs on nesting beaches the green turtle occupies oceanic habitat for an unknown number of years before transitioning to neritic foraging grounds. Estimates of duration for the oceanic life stage have been made for certain populations but are lacking for the East Pacific green turtles. Along with this habitat shift, green turtles also display a diet shift (change in trophic level) as they transition to these near shore foraging grounds. Using amino acid compound specific isotope analysis we can generate a more accurate trophic level calculations for oceanic turtles and recruited near shore turtles and generate an estimate when this transition from oceanic to near shore habitat occurs.