Why are Sea Turtles Important

Sea turtles are the living representatives of a group of reptiles that has existed on Earth and travelled our seas for the last 100 million years. Sea turtles are vital to the health and balance of marine ecosystems and indirectly contribute to human well-being. They are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems and help maintain the health of coral reefs and sea grass beds, control jellyfish populations, and transport nutrients between the ocean and beaches. Their presence is also linked to healthy beaches and coastal areas. Furthermore, sea turtles are a source of cultural significance and generate ecotourism revenue for coastal communities.

• Ecosystem Balance:

Sea turtles act as keystone species, meaning they play a crucial role in maintaining the health and balance of marine ecosystems. Leatherback turtles eat jellyfish, preventing overpopulation of these creatures, which can disrupt marine food webs as jellyfish prey on fish eggs and larvae and too many jellyfish means fewer fish. Green sea turtles graze on sea grass, helping to keep the meadows healthy and productive. By grazing on sea grass meadows, they prevent the grass from growing too long and suffocating on itself. Nice and healthy sea grass beds again perform a multitude of so-called ecosystem functions: they are a nursery ground for many marine species and additionally are an important carbon sink and oxygen provider in the ocean. Hawksbill turtles consume sponges that can overgrow and suffocate coral reefs, thus contributing to their health. Their sponge consumption is very important for a healthy coral reef by keeping the fast-growing sponges at bay and giving slower growing corals the chance to grow. Coral reefs are thought to be the most diverse ecosystem on the planet, providing habitats and shelter for thousands of marine organisms. Many fish spawn on the coral reefs and juvenile fish spend time there before heading out to deeper waters when they mature.

• Nutrient Cycling:

Sea turtles transport nutrients from the ocean to beaches and coastal dunes through their nesting activities. Loggerheads feed on hard-shelled prey, such as crustaceans. By breaking up these shells, they increase the rate at which the shells disintegrate and, as a result, increase the rate of nutrient recycling in the ocean bottom ecosystems.

• Beach Health:

Sea turtle nests, eggs, and hatchlings provide nutrients to beach vegetation, which helps prevent coastal erosion. Unhatched eggs and empty eggshells remaining inside nests on the beaches are a fertilizer for beach vegetation – they provide nutrition for plant growth with helps stabilize the shoreline as well as provide food for a variety of plant eating animals.

• Economic Importance:

Sea turtles attract tourists, generating income for coastal communities through ecotourism. They are an important source of income for coastal residents through turtle-watching ecotourism. Research has shown that sea turtle ecotourism can generate three times the income than by selling sea turtle parts (eggs, meat, & shells), making them worth more alive than dead. Coral reefs also protect coastlines from wave action and storms and are an important revenue generator for many nations through tourism.

• Cultural Significance

Many cultures revere sea turtles, associating them with symbols of long life, wisdom, and connection to the Earth.

• Source of Habitat

Sea turtles provide habitat for an array of “aquatic hitchhikers” like barnacles and other small crustaceans, remoras, algae, and diatoms called epibionts that attach themselves to the turtle and by carrying these around, the sea turtles provide a food source for fish and shrimp. In fact, some fish species obtain their diet strictly from epibionts found on sea turtles. They also act as sort of an umbrella for fish that use them as shelter from predators. When at the sea surface to breathe or rest, sea turtles also sometimes provide a resting spot for seabirds to land on – sort of like a reptilian aircraft carrier!