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Jailyn Hoskins
May 11, 2021
When you think of turtles, the image of four sewage-dwelling, crime fighting ninjas may come to mind. You may not realize it, but turtles are vital to the health of the coastline and are superheroes in that aspect. Researchers have discovered the effects that Diamondback Terrapins have on slowing the natural erosion process and are researching methods to ensure the health of local populations.
I spoke with Katie Gray, a graduate student in the Clay research lab at Nicholls university, who is working on Diamondback Terrapin research for her thesis.
“Charismatic megafauna, like turtles, drive people to make conservation changes. They are a bioindicator, you can use them for nonlethal sampling to see what kind of contaminants are in your water or ecosystem. They consume a lot of different species so maybe depending on your local population and what they feed on. They have found that different populations in different ranges feed on different things even though they are all capable of eating the same thing. They are also a keystone species, some populations have been found to feed predominantly on periwinkle snails, which Louisiana has. In large populations, periwinkle snails are found to decimate large areas of seagrass. The seagrass helps with stabilize the seabed, which slows erosion. Essentially the snail is a fungus farmer. The snail wounds the seagrass, which causes a fungus to grow, then the snail feeds on that fungus and leads to the death of the plant. Without the root system that traps the sediment, that increases subsidence.”
Seagrass beds provide multiple services to humans. As primary producers, seagrass acts as a nursery ground for many commercially caught species, including crabs, shrimps, and oysters. Seagrass also improves water clarity and helps mitigate climate change by acting as carbon storage and is used for food and pharmaceuticals.
Climate change has dramatically changed the world around us. Not only is the sea slowly rising, but the water is warming which causes a lot of problems for our coast. The wildlife has specifically evolved over thousands of years to live in specific areas and aren’t adapting well to the rapidly changing climate.
Climate change poses a problem for the terrapins as well. Terrapins are a temp-sexed species, meaning the sex of hatched eggs depends on the temperature of the area. An increase in temperature is leading to an increase in female offspring. The crabbing industry also causes an issue for the terrapins, as the smaller-sized male is roughly the same size as targeted crabs and is often caught in crabbing traps. These two factors lead to a lack of males which is dangerous for the future of diamondback terrapins in Louisiana.
Due to the loss of the coastline, Louisiana is predicted to lose one of its most important industries soon – seafood. According to Diego Herrara Garcia, a natural infrastructure economist, “Louisiana’s seafood industry generates $1.92 billion in total sales annually and supports about 33,391 jobs. Recreational fishing adds another $1.96 billion in sales and supports nearly 17,000 jobs in the state. In addition to sustaining a large part of the economy, the Mississippi River Delta’s fisheries also support a unique way of life for generations of Louisianans. But as the delta’s wetlands disappear, so does its ability to support this abundant aquatic life. Restoration projects that reconnect the river with its wetlands to rebuild marsh and sustainable ecosystem will ultimately support a more abundant seafood harvest, which will in turn support local and state economies – and the nation – that enjoys eating Louisiana seafood.”
Researchers have long realized that the rapid erosion of Louisiana’s precious coastline and are constantly brainstorming ideas to save and restore what’s left. According to LouisianaSportsman.com, “Since the 1930s, more than 1,900 square miles of Louisiana’s coastline have disappeared. Over the next 45 minutes, another 100 yards will be gobbled up by the Gulf. According to the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force, the Barataria Basin could lose as much as 7,125 acres of intermediate marsh by 2050.”
Former Senator John Breaux spoke on Louisiana’s coast and his words are still inspiring those in Louisiana leadership today. He said, “Coastal erosion in Louisiana is like a silent hurricane that happens every day all day, the land we lose from coastal erosion is lost forever. And everything we can do to postpone and repair that damage is incredibly important. One of my proudest accomplishments is the passage of the Breaux Act and what it means to generations and generations of Louisianans.”
The Breaux Act, or Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Restoration Act was established in 1990 and is still in effect today. Several major coastal restoration projects have been enacted due to the Breaux Act including a marsh restoration project on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the Bayou Dupont ridge in Plaquemine Parish, and shoreline project to protect the Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge.
According to Lacoast.gov, “Without the wetlands in south Louisiana, over two million people would have to relocate and the way of life that has been preserved for centuries would be diminished. A direct benefit that coastal wetlands offer to inhabitants is the protection of coastal development infrastructure from hurricanes and other storm surges. Louisiana’s entire coastal zone is plagued with frequent hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions in south Florida, where there are virtually no wetlands between the Atlantic Ocean and developed areas, damage to homes and property caused by these storms is much more devastating than in south Louisiana, where a large buffer of coastal wetlands still separates towns and cities from the Gulf of Mexico. Coastal wetlands absorb enormous amounts of water and dissipate wave energy that would otherwise allow storms to do severe damage inland.”
I spoke with local climate activist, Raegan Rozas about her view on climate change research. “People really don’t understand how important the research that is done on our coast is. There is a lack of science in our policy, and we are seeing the impact of denying climate change. There needs to be a way to get information to everyday people. When you are on the top floor and look out your window and see commotion on the first floor, it’s easy to ignore. When you are on the first floor, that issue must be dealt with immediately. It’s time for people to realize that we are all on the first floor and the issue should have been dealt with a long time ago. Science is important to all of us, and we have to listen to the experts who are out there seeing the first-hand effects of climate change. We all need to participate in our local elections and elect people who will put us first. This doesn’t just effect the people living on the coast, it effects businesses who rely on the seafood industry and everything else that makes Louisiana the place we all know and love.”
We also discussed the research on turtles, and she said, “It’s so crazy what you can learn from the interactions of a few different species. The average person doesn’t know things like this and informing people about it is the first step in the right direction. Even if you aren’t a ‘tree hugger’ you may realize that you should be! It’s hard for people to realize just how interconnected we are with the environment around us. We rely on a healthy environment and cannot function without. Showing people that has so much power to change the world.”
No matter where you live, your political stances, or your education level, the environment allows you to live. Food, water, medicine, and building materials all come from the planet. The exploitation of the planet has caused and is current causing huge threats to the normalcy of our lives. There are some, a majority of which are poor people, who are experiencing the effects of our overexploited planet.
We must trust in science and do what we can to preserve and coast we have in Louisiana and contribute to a healthy planet. Educating ourselves and those around us is important to our generation and those to come.
Though there are other contributing factors to the health of the Louisiana coastline, it’s important to see the role that diamondback terrapins play. It’s important to protect this keystone species and others that help preserve our coast.
Sources:
https://lacoast.gov/reports/rtc/1997/4.htm
https://www.louisianasportsman.com/news-breaker/a-moving-target/
https://mississippiriverdelta.org/economy-stand-lose-dont-restore-louisianas-coast/
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