Altered sex ratios in response to climate change - Who will fall into the (epigenetic) trap? (Comment on DOI 10.1002/bies.201600058)

Abstract

In a paper published in this issue [1], Consuegra del Olmo and Rodriguez López hypothesize that epigeneticallymediated alterations in sex ratios could become an epigenetic trap in species with environmental sex determination (ESD) facing rapid climate change: for example, by producing a consistent strong sex ratio bias that could lead to extinction. In organisms with ESD, the magnitude of an environmental cue during a sensitive developmental period determines sexual fate, and hence sex ratios. Epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for mitotically or meiotically heritable influences on the phenotype without changes in DNA sequence. Epigenetics thus provides organisms the capacity to integrate genomic and environmental information. Recently, it has become evident that epigenetic mechanisms have an important role in sex determination [2]. [...]