The Adaptive Sex in Stressful Environments
Benjamin Geffroy1, Mathieu Douhard2
1MARBEC, Ifremer, IRD, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Palavas-Les-Flots, France; Equal contributions.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|April 7, 2019
Summary
Early stress impacts juvenile development, but offspring sex is often overlooked. Stress hormones like glucocorticoids (GCs) can influence offspring sex ratios differently across species.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Endocrinology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Early life stress significantly impacts juvenile development, yet its adaptive significance is debated.
- The role of offspring sex in stress responses and its evolutionary implications are understudied.
- Glucocorticoids (GCs) are key stress hormones with potential effects on development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize recent research on the association between glucocorticoids (GCs) and offspring sex.
- To explore the varying effects of stress on sex ratios across different vertebrate groups.
- To propose explanations for observed trends in stress-induced sex-ratio bias.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating glucocorticoids and offspring sex.
- Comparative analysis of findings across fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
- Theoretical framework development for proximate and ultimate explanations.
Main Results:
- GC exposure around sex determination in fish consistently skews sex ratios towards males.
- Sex-ratio bias in response to stress is variable in reptiles, birds, and mammals.
- Evidence suggests differential sensitivity to GCs based on offspring sex and species.
Conclusions:
- Offspring sex is a critical factor modulating the effects of early stress.
- GCs play a significant role in shaping sex ratios, with species-specific patterns.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the proximate and ultimate causes of these variations.
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