Will Climate Change Turn More Reptiles Female?

TL;DR

Climate change could lead to more reptiles being born as females due to the temperature-dependent sex determination system used by many reptile species.

Transcript

Thanks to Brilliant for  supporting this SciShow video! As a SciShow viewer, you can keep building your STEM skills with a 30 day free trial and 20% off an annual premium subscription at Brilliant.org/SciShow. We know the changing climate is messing with a lot of things around the world, like weather patterns and ocean temperatures. And it’s no sec... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥳 Climate change can affect reptiles' sex ratios by increasing the number of females due to higher incubation temperatures.
• 🥳 Some reptiles may adapt their breeding grounds or times to adjust to changing temperatures and maintain even sex ratios.
• 👶 Reptiles may have to evolve new methods of sex determination to avoid becoming an all-female population.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does temperature affect the sex of reptile hatchlings?

Temperature determines the sex of reptile hatchlings in species that use temperature-dependent sex determination. Higher temperatures often result in female hatchlings, while lower temperatures produce males.

Q: Why do some reptiles use temperature-based sex determination instead of sex chromosomes?

Some scientists believe that temperature-based sex determination was the original method used by reptiles. Sex chromosomes may have evolved independently in birds and mammals after splitting from early reptiles.

Q: Can temperature extremes override sex chromosomes in some reptiles, fish, and amphibians?

Yes, in certain species, temperature extremes can override the influence of sex chromosomes and determine the sex of the animal.

Q: How does climate change affect reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination?

Climate change, which leads to higher temperatures, can result in more reptile clutches being entirely or mostly female, altering the sex ratios of populations.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Some reptiles use temperature-dependent sex determination, where the incubation temperature of the eggs determines the sex of the hatchlings.

• A slight difference in temperature can result in an all-male or all-female clutch of eggs.

• As the planet becomes hotter due to climate change, the higher temperatures can result in more female reptiles being born.