The microbiome of leatherback sea turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, in Puerto Rico
Sea turtles (Testudines) occur in oceanic and neritic habitats, from the tropics to subarctic waters and are the flagship for marine ecosystem conservation. It has been shown that the world's largest reptile – the endangered leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea – conducts flexible foraging migrations that can cover thousands of kilometers between nesting sites and distant foraging areas. The vast distances that may be traveled by migrating leatherback turtles have greatly complicated conservation efforts for this species worldwide. Ecological diversity leads to the identification and surveillance of sentinel species as biological indicators of the environment as a feasible approach to gain insight into the health of marine animals. Given the increasing impact of pathogenic bacteria in a multitude of biological systems, including marine animals like dolphins it is essential to understand and correlate animal status, its microflora, and the ecosystem's health. The unprecedented depth of sequencing made available by high-throughput approaches, allows for extensive descriptions of the microbiome of marine animals, providing a relevant approach for environmental surveillance of the species. Puerto Rico is one of the greatest nesting grounds of leatherback sea turtles in the world. Female turtles return to the beaches of Puerto Rico in spring each year and make the transition to land to lay their eggs in the sand. Once all the eggs have been laid they head back to the sea, leaving their young to fend for themselves. This project aims to characterize the bacterial biota related to leatherback sea turtle nests in Puerto Rico, including the mother's cloaca fluid, tears, oral cavity, deposited eggs, and adjacent sand.