Sharing scientific information is an important component of sea turtle conservation. These are papers that have been published by our team and students over the years based on work at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Below is a list of presentations for conferences that we have attended.
Peer-reviewed scientific articles
Picknell, A., K.M. Stewart, K.R. Stewart and M.M. Dennis. 2024. Assessment of hatching and emergence success, developmental phases, and pathology of leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) embryos and dead in nest hatchlings in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1617.1
Holtz, B.R., K.R. Stewart and W.E.D. Piniak. 2021. Influence of environmental and anthropogenic acoustic cues in sea-finding of hatchling leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles. PLOS ONE 16(7): e0253770.
Banerjee, S.M., A. Frey, C. Kurle, J.R. Perrault and K.R. Stewart. 2020. Morphological variation in leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) hatchlings at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, US Virgin Islands. Endangered Species Research 41: 361-372.
Gonzales, C.M. and K.R. Stewart. 2019. Emergence timing of leatherback hatchlings (Dermochelys coriacea) at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, 2010–2014. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 18(2): 241-248.
Northwest Atlantic Leatherback Working Group. 2018. Northwest Atlantic leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) status assessment (Bryan Wallace & Karen Eckert, Compilers and Editors). Conservation Science Partners and the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST). WIDECAST Technical Report No. 16. Godfrey, Illinois. 36 pp. (Kelly Stewart & Claudia Lombard – data contributors and working group members).
Stewart, K.R. and P.H. Dutton. 2014. Breeding sex ratios in adult leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) may compensate for female-biased hatchling sex ratios. PLOS ONE 9(2): e88138
Dutton, P.H., S. Roden, K.R. Stewart, E. LaCasella, M. Tiwari, A. Formia, J. Thomé, S.R. Livingstone, S. Eckert, D. Chacon-Chaverri, P. Rivalan and P. Allman. 2013. Population stock structure of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Atlantic revealed using mtDNA and microsatellite markers. Conservation Genetics 14(3): 625-636.
Dutton, P.H. and K.R. Stewart. 2013. A method for sampling hatchling sea turtles for the development of a genetic tag. Marine Turtle Newsletter 138: 3-7.
Hill, J.E., C.M. King, K.R. Stewart, F.V. Paladino and P.H. Dutton. 2018. Genetic differentiation of hawksbill turtle rookeries on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 17(2): 303-308.
Stewart, K.R. and P.H. Dutton. 2012. Sea turtle CSI: it’s all in the genes. State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT) Report 7: 12-13.
Stewart, K.R. and P.H. Dutton. 2011. Paternal genotype reconstruction reveals multiple paternity and sex ratios in a breeding population of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). Conservation Genetics 12: 1101-1113.
Theses
Sorace, S. 2024. Hawksbill hatchling trends over 30 years and vulnerability to climate change at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. University of the Virgin Islands.
Monnier, N. 2024. Hawksbill sea turtle nesting on west end beaches of St. Croix, USVI: Threats assessment and quantification. University of the Virgin Islands.
Mauney, C.I. 2024. Examining internesting habitat use of Northwest Atlantic leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). California State University Monterey Bay.
Kelso, M.Q. 2022. Nesting trends of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Master of Science Thesis. University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas. 59 pp.
Kauffman, P. 2022. Nesting trends in a regionally significant green turtle (Chelonia mydas) rookery in St. Croix, USVI. Master of Science Thesis. University of California – San Diego. 50 pp.
Jackson, H. 2021. Education and outreach development for the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix USVI. Master’s thesis. Duke University.
DeSousa, D. 2019. Hatch success of leatherback sea turtles in St. Croix, USVI over 30 years. Master’s thesis. Pace University.
Banerjee, S.M. 2017. The influence of multiple paternity on genetic and morphological variation in leatherback hatchlings (Dermochelys coriacea) at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Master of Science Thesis – University of California, San Diego. 32 pp.
DeLand, S. 2017. Quantifying injury rates on nesting leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix. Master of Coastal Environmental Management – Duke University, Durham, NC. 28 pp.
Posters and Presentations
Bender, A.N., C.I. Mauney, C.D. Garza, P.H. Dutton, C.D. Lombard, A.J. Read and K.R. Stewart. Habitat mapping reveals resident areas and movement patterns of nesting leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in St. Croix USVI. Poster presentation at the 42nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Pattaya, Thailand. 2024.
Brunson, T., C.D. Lombard, K.R. Stewart and S. Kelly. Investigating trends in cause-specific sea turtle strandings and mortality in the U.S. Virgin Islands: 2018-2023. Poster presentation at the 42nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Pattaya, Thailand. 2024.
Monnier, N.K., S.C. Sorace, D. Boles, J. Calcano, M. Kelso, C.D. Lombard, L. Wood, S. Kelly, P. Jobsis and K.R. Stewart. Under threat: Previously undocumented hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting on the west end of St. Croix, U.S.V.I. Oral presentation at the 42nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Pattaya, Thailand. 2024.
Sorace, S.C., N.K. Monnier, D. Trivett, K. Ayres, M. Kelso, C.D. Lombard, K. Sloan, P. Jobsis and K.R. Stewart. Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) hatch success and predicted sex ratios at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Oral presentation at the 42nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Pattaya, Thailand. 2024.
Stewart, K.R., C.D. Lombard & P.H. Dutton. Sandy Point forty years on: Emerging hotspot for three sea turtle species. Oral presentation at the 41st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Cartagena, Colombia. 2023.
Kelso, M.Q., C.D. Lombard, P. Jobsis, D. Trivett & K.R. Stewart. Hawksbill nesting trends increased significantly at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix over 30 years. Oral presentation at the 41st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Cartagena, Colombia. 2023. Winner: Archie Carr Student Award: Best Biology Talk.
Mauney, N.I., E.L. Hazen, C.D. Lombard & K.R. Stewart. Identifying critical in-water habitat for leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting at Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix, USVI. Oral presentation at the 41st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Cartagena, Colombia. 2023.
Ayres, K., M.H. Godfrey, P.D. Jobsis and K.R. Stewart. St. Thomas beaches may be critical male-producing habitat for hawksbills in the United States Virgin Islands. Poster presentation at the 41st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Cartagena, Colombia. 2023. Winner: Archie Carr Student Award: Runner-Up Conservation Poster.
Trivett, D.(K)., C.D. Lombard, M.Q. Kelso & K.R. Stewart. Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting habitat choice at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix, VI. Poster presentation at the 41st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Cartagena, Colombia. 2023.
Stewart, K.R., C.D. Lombard & P.H. Dutton. Where are the leatherbacks? Nest numbers at Sandy Point plummet to lowest level in 40 years. Oral presentation at the 40th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Virtual, Perth Australia. 2022.
Mauney, N., C.D. Lombard & K.R. Stewart. Habitat use by Northwestern Atlantic leatherback sea turtles. Poster presentation at the 40th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Virtual, Perth Australia. 2022.
Gonzales, C. & K.R. Stewart. Emergence timing of leatherback hatchlings at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge 2010-2014. Poster presentation at the 37th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Las Vegas, NV. 2017.
King, C., C. Lombard and K.R. Stewart. Methods for documenting and identifying injuries on leatherback sea turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Poster presentation at the 37th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Las Vegas, NV. 2017.
Banerjee, S.M., A. Frey, C. Kurle and K.R. Stewart. Evaluating the effects of paternity on body size variation in leatherback sea turtle hatchlings (Dermochelys coriacea) using microsatellites. Poster presentation at the 37th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Las Vegas, NV. 2017.
Kendall, W., K. Pearson, P. Dutton, K. Stewart and C. Lombard. Life history and demography of a nesting population of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) at St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1992-2013. Oral presentation at the 37th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Las Vegas, NV. 2017.
Evaluation of anthropogenic marine debris and Sargassum fluitans and its potential impact on sea turtle hatchlings at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Presented by C. MacMillan at the STAR (STEM Teacher and Researcher) Closing Conference. San Francisco, CA. 2015.
The path to the sea: leatherback hatchling orientation at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Presented by C. MacMillan and K.R. Stewart at the STAR (STEM Teacher and Researcher) Closing Conference. San Francisco, CA. 2014.
Leatherback hatchling fitness. Presented by V. Campbell, S. Morales & K.R. Stewart at the STAR (STEM Teacher and Researcher) Closing Conference. San Francisco, CA. 2013.
Big babies, big mammas? Relationship of leatherback hatchling size and mother size. Presented by S. Morales, V. Campbell, & K.R. Stewart at the STAR (STEM Teacher and Researcher) Closing Conference. San Francisco, CA. 2013.
Variations in the operational sex ratio for leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) over three mating seasons at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (St. Croix, USVI). Presented by K.R. Stewart at the 33rd Annual Sea Turtle Symposium, Baltimore, Maryland, February 2013.
Size and weight changes of leatherback hatchlings among emergence groups. Presented by S. Morales & K.R. Stewart at the STAR (STEM Teacher and Researcher) Closing Conference. San Francisco, CA. 2012.
First estimate of operational sex ratios for breeding leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) derived from genetic fingerprints of nesting females and their hatchlings. Presented by K.R. Stewart at the 32nd Annual Sea Turtle Symposium, Huatulco, Mexico, March 2012.
Reconstructing male genotypes and exploring multiple paternity for leatherbacks nesting at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Presented by K.R. Stewart at the 30th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium, Panaji, Goa, India, April 2010.
The St. Croix Sea Turtle Project is sponsored by The Ocean Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, working in cooperation with US Fish and Wildlife Service at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.