Journal article
Climate change overruns resilience conferred by temperature-dependent sex determination in sea turtles and threatens their survival
Global change biology, v 21(8), pp 2980-2988
01 Aug 2015
PMID: 25929883
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) is the predominant form of environmental sex determination (ESD) in reptiles, but the adaptive significance of TSD in this group remains unclear. Additionally, the viability of species with TSD may be compromised as climate gets warmer. We simulated population responses in a turtle with TSD to increasing nest temperatures and compared the results to those of a virtual population with genotypic sex determination (GSD) and fixed sex ratios. Then, we assessed the effectiveness of TSD as a mechanism to maintain populations under climate change scenarios. TSD populations were more resilient to increased nest temperatures and mitigated the negative effects of high temperatures by increasing production of female offspring and therefore, future fecundity. That buffered the negative effect of temperature on the population growth. TSD provides an evolutionary advantage to sea turtles. However, this mechanism was only effective over a range of temperatures and will become inefficient as temperatures rise to levels projected by current climate change models. Projected global warming threatens survival of sea turtles, and the IPCC high gas concentration scenario may result in extirpation of the studied population in 50years.
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Details
- Title
- Climate change overruns resilience conferred by temperature-dependent sex determination in sea turtles and threatens their survival
- Creators
- Pilar Santidrian Tomillo - UIB, CSIC, Inst Mediterrani Estudis Avancats, Populat Ecol Grp,IMEDEA, Esporles 07190, Mallorca, SpainMeritxell Genovart - Population Ecology Group Institut Mediterrani d' Estudis Avançats, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Miquel Marquès, 21 07190 Esporles Mallorca SpainFrank V. Paladino - Indiana University – Purdue University Fort WayneJames R. Spotila - Drexel UniversityDaniel Oro - Population Ecology Group Institut Mediterrani d' Estudis Avançats, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Miquel Marquès, 21 07190 Esporles Mallorca Spain
- Publication Details
- Global change biology, v 21(8), pp 2980-2988
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- Earthwatch Institute Betz Chair Endowment of Drexel University Schrey Distinguished Professorship of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme; European Commission Leatherback Trust
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000358485200015
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84937514335
- Other Identifier
- 991019168886804721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Ecology
- Environmental Sciences