Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why 99% of sea turtle babies are now born female, according to scientists
Seat turtles are losing the genetic diversity to produce offspring because of the heat. Unlike most other oviparous animals, the gender of sea turtles and alligators depends on the temperature of developing eggs, not during fertilization. And if a turtle’s eggs incubate over 31 degrees Celsius in the sand, they will be female. In fact, Florida has had the hottest summers in the last four years and researchers found almost all the sea turtles born were female. So, those fertilized eggs have been produced by existing males, whose population is decreasing over time. Unless the temperatures on the beaches cool down, those female turtles out there must find their mate somehow, or they fertilize by themselves like some reptiles or dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Another serious and significant impact on biodiversity by global warming. Is the declining birthrate in developed countries also caused by global warming?
Read the article and learn about what temperature increase could affect the gender rate.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/03/us/florida-turtles-born-female-climate-change/index.html
Why 99% of sea turtle babies are now born female, according to scientists
Seat turtles are losing the genetic diversity to produce offspring because of the heat. Unlike most other oviparous animals, the gender of sea turtles and alligators depends on the temperature of developing eggs, not during fertilization. And if a turtle’s eggs incubate over 31 degrees Celsius in the sand, they will be female. In fact, Florida has had the hottest summers in the last four years and researchers found almost all the sea turtles born were female. So, those fertilized eggs have been produced by existing males, whose population is decreasing over time. Unless the temperatures on the beaches cool down, those female turtles out there must find their mate somehow, or they fertilize by themselves like some reptiles or dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Another serious and significant impact on biodiversity by global warming. Is the declining birthrate in developed countries also caused by global warming?
Read the article and learn about what temperature increase could affect the gender rate.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/03/us/florida-turtles-born-female-climate-change/index.html
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