Horticulture Research Station

Nest Substrates Influence Nest Temperature and Offspring Sex Ratio in Painted Turtles

Authors: Timothy Mitchell (Iowa State University) , Fredric J. Janzen (Iowa State University)

  • Nest Substrates Influence Nest Temperature and Offspring Sex Ratio in Painted Turtles

    Horticulture Research Station

    Nest Substrates Influence Nest Temperature and Offspring Sex Ratio in Painted Turtles

    Authors: ,

Abstract

Many reptiles have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), where the temperature experienced by eggs during incubation determines whether the embryo becomes male or female. Because of this, weather patterns influence the number of males or females being produced in a given year. Over longer time scales, climate changes can produce shifts in population sex ratios, which can be detrimental to population health. Understanding how populations of such reptiles might respond to climate change is important, since most reptiles with TSD are threatened or endangered.

Keywords: Ecology Evolution and Organismal Biology

How to Cite:

Mitchell, T. & Janzen, F. J., (2015) “Nest Substrates Influence Nest Temperature and Offspring Sex Ratio in Painted Turtles”, Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms Progress Reports 2014(1).

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Published on
01 Jan 2015
Peer Reviewed