Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change
Maternal hormones such as estrogens deposited into the yolk of turtle eggs follow circulating levels in adult females, and they may alter the sexual fate of developing embryos in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). In temperate regions, this deposition occurs during the sprin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/428 |
| _version_ | 1797612357285838848 |
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| author | Nicholas E. Topping Nicole Valenzuela |
| author_facet | Nicholas E. Topping Nicole Valenzuela |
| author_sort | Nicholas E. Topping |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maternal hormones such as estrogens deposited into the yolk of turtle eggs follow circulating levels in adult females, and they may alter the sexual fate of developing embryos in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). In temperate regions, this deposition occurs during the spring when estrogens increase in adult females as ambient temperatures rise, drop after the first clutch, and peak again (albeit less) in the fall. Global warming alters turtle nesting phenology (inducing earlier nesting), but whether it affects circulating hormones remains unknown, hindering our understanding of all potential challenges posed by climate change and the adaptive potential (or lack thereof) of turtle populations. Here, we addressed this question in painted turtles (<i>Chrysemys picta</i>) by quantifying estradiol, estrone, and testosterone via mass spectrometry in the blood of wild adult females exposed to 26 °C and 21 °C in captivity between mid-August and mid-October (15 females per treatment). Results from ANOVA and pairwise comparisons revealed no differences between treatments in circulating hormones measured at days 0, 2, 7, 14, 28, and 56 of the experiment. Further research is warranted (during the spring, using additional temperatures) before concluding that females are truly buffered against the indirect risk of climate change via maternal hormone allocation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:41:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5f4b65eb84c4c0085092ef9f53f0a7f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:41:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5f4b65eb84c4c0085092ef9f53f0a7f2023-11-17T10:38:30ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-03-0115342810.3390/d15030428Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate ChangeNicholas E. Topping0Nicole Valenzuela1Department of Ecology, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Ecology, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USAMaternal hormones such as estrogens deposited into the yolk of turtle eggs follow circulating levels in adult females, and they may alter the sexual fate of developing embryos in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). In temperate regions, this deposition occurs during the spring when estrogens increase in adult females as ambient temperatures rise, drop after the first clutch, and peak again (albeit less) in the fall. Global warming alters turtle nesting phenology (inducing earlier nesting), but whether it affects circulating hormones remains unknown, hindering our understanding of all potential challenges posed by climate change and the adaptive potential (or lack thereof) of turtle populations. Here, we addressed this question in painted turtles (<i>Chrysemys picta</i>) by quantifying estradiol, estrone, and testosterone via mass spectrometry in the blood of wild adult females exposed to 26 °C and 21 °C in captivity between mid-August and mid-October (15 females per treatment). Results from ANOVA and pairwise comparisons revealed no differences between treatments in circulating hormones measured at days 0, 2, 7, 14, 28, and 56 of the experiment. Further research is warranted (during the spring, using additional temperatures) before concluding that females are truly buffered against the indirect risk of climate change via maternal hormone allocation.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/428<i>Chrysemys picta</i> turtle reptile vertebratetemperature-dependent sex determinationpopulation sex ratio feminizationestrogen sex steroidswarming climate change responsematernal yolk hormone allocation |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas E. Topping Nicole Valenzuela Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change Diversity <i>Chrysemys picta</i> turtle reptile vertebrate temperature-dependent sex determination population sex ratio feminization estrogen sex steroids warming climate change response maternal yolk hormone allocation |
| title | Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change |
| title_full | Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change |
| title_fullStr | Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change |
| title_short | Thermal Response of Circulating Estrogens in an Emydid Turtle, <i>Chrysemys picta</i>, and the Challenges of Climate Change |
| title_sort | thermal response of circulating estrogens in an emydid turtle i chrysemys picta i and the challenges of climate change |
| topic | <i>Chrysemys picta</i> turtle reptile vertebrate temperature-dependent sex determination population sex ratio feminization estrogen sex steroids warming climate change response maternal yolk hormone allocation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/428 |
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