A STUDY ON THE POSSIBLE

CORRELATION BETWEEN SAND

COMPACTION AND THE SUCCESS OF
HATCHLING EMERGENCE

By Alexandra Alterman
Research Question
 Does Beach renourishment and our relocation
methods impact the compaction levels of the nests
and subsequently the success of hatchling
emergence?
Background: Renourishment
 Beach renourishment to combat erosion- “Soft approach”
 Occurred on a portion of South beach
 Dredging from adjacent Channel
 Creates more nesting area but can affect the quality of it
Background: Nest Relocations
 Relocations frequent on BHI
 Causes: too close to high tide line, near eroding structures
 Automatic relocations: the point, shoals club area, sections of west
beach
 Specific relocation protocol- Focus on how we compact the sand
Methods
 Took compaction measurements of nests using a pocket
penetrometer
 Marked down location of beach and if the nest was natural or
relocated
 Measurements taken at various times throughout incubation
 Recorded straggler numbers after excavation
 Statistical analysis of compaction measurements and straggler
numbers
Data
Nest # Nest Compaction (Kg/ Straggler # BA
Type cm2)
1 N 0.225 1 R 18 (S)
2 N 0.131 1 L 11 (S)
3 N 0.106 11 L 42 (E)
4 R 0.234 1 L 11 (S)
6 N 0.106 0 L 42 (E)
7 N 0.088 7 L 42 (E)
10 R 0.069 14 L 13 (S)
14 R 0.231 17 L 20 (S)
15 R 0.056 5 R 39 (E)
17 R 0.025 6 L 36 (S)
37 N 0.05 9 L 42 (E)
Results
 Sand compaction significantly different between nourished and
unourshied areas
 Sand compaction not significantly different between natural and relocated
nests
 Straggler #s not significantly different between nourished and unourished
areas
 Straggler #s significantly different between natural and relocated nests
Discussion
 Results support previous studies linking increased sand
compaction and renourished beaches
 No evidence of increased compaction resulting in increased
emergence difficulty
 No evidence of relocated nests having higher compaction
 Other aspects of our relocation methods may make emergence
more difficult
Going Forward
 Repeat studies
 More testing of sand quality
 Review relocation protocol
 Look into impact of renourished areas on nesting
mothers
Acknowledgements
 Thank you to all my fellow BHIC summer interns, and Emily
Hardin
 Mentor: Dr. Suzanne Dorsey
 Also a big thanks to the BHIC for supplying the materials
necessary for this project!
References

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(Caretta Caretta) NESTING IN SOUTH CAROLINA."Dnr.sc.gov. N.p., Dec. 2004. Web. July
2016.
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Transform the Status Quo." Dukespace.lib.duke.edu. Duke University, 25 Apr. 2014. Web. July
2016.
 Mcelroy, Mandi. "THE EFFECT OF SCREENING AND RELOCATION ON HATCHING AND
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GEORGIA." Getd.libs.uga.edu. University of Georgia, Aug. 2009. Web. July 2016
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Island: Effects of Nest Relocation" (2007). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. Paper 733.
 Rush, Matthew D. "AN EVALUATION OF NEST RELOCATION AS A LOGGERHEAD SEA
TURTLE (Caretta Caretta) MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE IN NORTH
CAROLINA." Dukespace.lib.duke.edu. Duke University, 2003. Web. July 2016.
 Wilgis, Ted, and Frank Tursi. "The Risks of Renourishment: How Pumping Sand on North
Carolina’s Beaches Can Affect Sea Turtles, Mole Crabs and Other Critters." Nccoast.org. NCCF,
Apr. 2002. Web. July 2016.
Questions?