132555 - Maternal effects obscure condition-dependent sex allocation in changing environments.pdf (555.72 kB)
Maternal effects obscure condition-dependent sex allocation in changing environments
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 03:35 authored by Edwards, AM, Elissa Cameron, Erik WapstraErik Wapstra, Joanne McEvoyJoanne McEvoyClimate change increases environmental fluctuations which thereby impact population demography. Species with temperature-dependent sex determination may experience more extreme sex ratio skews, but this has not been considered in species with chromosomally determined sex. However, anticipatory maternal effects cause lifelong physiological changes impacting sex ratios. Here we show, in mice, that more sons were born to mothers in good condition when their breeding environment matched their gestational environment, consistent with theoretical predictions, but mothers in mismatched environments have no condition-sex ratio relationship. Thus, the predicted effect of condition on sex ratio was obscured by maternal effects when the environment changed. This may explain extreme sex ratio skews in reintroduced or translocated populations, and sex ratio skews may become more common and less predictable with accelerating environmental change.
Funding
Australian Research Council
History
Publication title
Royal Society Open ScienceVolume
6Issue
4Article number
181885Number
181885Pagination
1-7ISSN
2054-5703Department/School
College Office - College of Sciences and EngineeringPublisher
The Royal Society PublishingPlace of publication
United KingdomRights statement
Copyright 2019 The Authors Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Repository Status
- Open