hays-populationviability-2017.pdf (479.69 kB)
Population viability at extreme sex-ratio skews produced by temperature-dependent sex determination
journal contribution
posted on 2017-02-08, 00:00 authored by Graeme HaysGraeme Hays, A D Mazaris, Gail Schofield, J-O LaloëFor species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) there is the fear that rising temperatures may lead to single-sex populations and population extinction. We show that for sea turtles, a major group exhibiting TSD, these concerns are currently unfounded but may become important under extreme climate warming scenarios. We show how highly female-biased sex ratios in developing eggs translate into much more balanced operational sex ratios so that adult male numbers in populations around the world are unlikely to be limiting. Rather than reducing population viability, female-biased offspring sex ratios may, to some extent, help population growth by increasing the number of breeding females and hence egg production. For rookeries across the world (n = 75 sites for seven species), we show that extreme female-biased hatchling sex ratios do not compromise population size and are the norm, with a tendency for populations to maximize the number of female hatchlings. Only at extremely high incubation temperature does high mortality within developing clutches threaten sea turtles. Our work shows how TSD itself is a robust strategy up to a point, but eventually high mortality and female-only hatchling production will cause extinction if incubation conditions warm considerably in the future.
History
Journal
Proceedings B of the Royal Society of London: biological sciencesVolume
284Issue
1848Article number
20162576Pagination
1 - 7Publisher
Royal Society PublishingLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
Link to full text
ISSN
0962-8452eISSN
1471-2954Language
engPublication classification
C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2017, The AuthorsUsage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC