Sea turtles are endangered,in part because of human encroachment on the beaches where they lay eggs.You are working with a team to help protect turtle nests and hatchlings from curious beachgoers.Someone suggests putting a fabric dome over each nest to keep people away.What is your response?
A)"That will have several benefits,including protecting the nests from rough weather and hurricanes."
B)"That would create a new problem if it blocked the females,since the females sit on the nests to keep them warm."
C)"That might create a new problem.Sea turtles use temperature-dependent sex determination,and lowering the temperature of the nest will likely change the sex ratio of the hatchlings."
D)"That would create a new problem if it blocked the males.The males have to be able to dig into the nest to fertilize the eggs."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sea turtles do not exhibit behaviors where females sit on the nests to keep them warm or where males dig into the nests to fertilize the eggs after they have been laid. Sea turtle eggs are fertilized internally before the female lays them on the beach. The suggestion about temperature-dependent sex determination is accurate; the temperature of the nest can influence the sex of the hatchlings, with warmer temperatures typically producing more females and cooler temperatures producing more males. Therefore, altering the nest's temperature by covering it could indeed affect the sex ratio of the hatchlings.

Sea Turtles Are Endangered,in Part Because of Human Encroachment on the Beaches