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Global increases in beach sand temperatures are predicted to skew hatchling sexratios of marine turtle populations towards female bias. Currently, shade structures and fresh-water irrigation are management strategies used to cool nest temperatures, but require resources that are limited at remote rookeries. Here, we report on a novel investigation that used seawater irrigation as a sand-cooling method. Various volumes of seawater were applied to sand to deter-mine the optimal application required to lower sand temperatures at nest depth to produce male-biased sex ratios.

This case study is one of three produced as part of the Global climate change alliance: Pacific small island states post-project evaluation.

The GCCA: PSIS project consisted of on-ground climate change adaptation activities in specific sectors - coastal protection, marine resources, health, agriculture, and freshwater supported by mainstreaming of climate change into national sectoral policies, plans, budgets and procedures.

This is one of the nine individual country evaluation summary reports produced as part of the Global climate change alliance: Pacific small island states post project evaluation