GRID habitat plot survey data for the nesting sea turtles beach La Flor beach, Pacific, southwestern Nicaragua July of 2013

Abstract

This GRID habitat plot survey was done at a globally relevant sea turtle nesting beach: La Flor (latitude 11.14282, longitude 85.79418, geographic datum WGS84). This sand beach is located at the Pacific Ocean in southwestern Nicaragua, approx. 20 km far from San Juan Del Sur and approx. 30 km far from the Costa Rican border. We did our grid-based habitat survey on the 11th of July in 2013. The GRID points are geo-referenced by latitude and longitude (decimal degrees, WGS84, +- 10 meters acuracy) and were visited only once (no 3 repeats were done because it consists of sand and private/reserve property) and no species information is provided (sand beach). From 25 regular GRID points 13 were inaccessable because of reserve land holdings or dense bush forests. We took three photos (sky, ground vertical view) for every plot, more details can be seen there. This grid can be used for change detection, shoreline location, develeopment questions, and beach erosion questions over time for turtle nest habitat, for instance. Known sea turtles for this region are predominately Olive`s Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea, TSN 173840), but also Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata TSN 208666) and Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea, TSN 173843).