The sex of sea turtle offspring is determined by the temperature of the sand during development. Temperature over 87° Fahrenheit will result in female offspring. Temperatures below 87° Fahrenheit will result in male offspring. Scientists are concerned about the effects of climate change on sea turtle development. One of these effects is the warming of environments.

Question

In 2-5 sentences, describe what change you'd expect to see in the distribution of sea turtle traits over time, if any. Explain whether it would be caused by a genetic adaptation, a mutation, or the environment.

(4 points)

Answer 1

As global temperatures rise due to climate change, we would expect an increase in the proportion of female sea turtles in populations, as warmer sand temperatures lead to a higher likelihood of female offspring being produced. This change would primarily be driven by environmental factors rather than genetic adaptation or mutation, since the temperature-dependent sex determination mechanism operates outside the genetic modification of individual turtles. Over time, with the continued warming of coastal habitats, the distribution of traits within sea turtle populations may skew significantly towards females, potentially affecting reproductive dynamics and population viability.