ISTANBUL—Rising temperatures due to global warming are increasingly skewing the gender ratios of sea turtles, favoring females over males, reveals new research.
According to Philippines News Agency, a board member at the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue, and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER), this shift poses significant challenges for future populations.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Sozbilen explained that the temperature at which sea turtle eggs incubate significantly influences their sex. A nest temperature of 29 degrees Celsius typically results in an equal number of male and female hatchlings. However, as temperatures climb above this threshold, the proportion of females increases, while temperatures below favor males. Sozbilen highlighted concerns that continuing temperature rises could lead to predominately female populations, disrupting natural balances. At extreme temperatures of 33-34 degrees Celsius, embryo fatalities begin to occur.
Further complicating their survival, rising temperatures may force sea turtles to seek cooler habitats or alter their reproductive timing, which Sozbilen suggests will not be sufficient adaptations to cope with rapid climate changes. He cited a 2023 study indicating that while nesting times are shifting globally and could extend by up to 180 days, these changes alone might not be enough to ensure the species' survival.
Sozbilen also touched on the vital ecological roles sea turtles play, particularly the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which predominantly nest along Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. These turtles are crucial for the health of marine and coastal ecosystems, enhancing nutrient-poor beach environments and helping control jellyfish populations, thereby maintaining ecological balance.
However, pollution remains a severe threat, especially in the Mediterranean. Research conducted by DEKAMER from 2017 to 2022 found alarming levels of pollution in the digestive systems of sea turtles, with some regions showing contamination rates as high as 100%. Plastic pollution is particularly detrimental, blocking digestive tracts and entangling limbs, often leading to fatal consequences.