Sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination, with males being produced at low incubation temperatures and females at high temperatures within the thermal range for embryonic development. In the context of climate change, there are concerns that warming temperatures will lead to an increase in female production. If primary sex ratios are extremely skewed, low male production (and subsequent male availability) may threaten long-term population viability. Heightening these concerns is the fact that female-biased sex ratios are already reported at the majority of sea turtle nesting sites across the world. Here, we describe for the first time primary sex ratios at a remote green sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) nesting site in the South Pacific. Nesting surveys were conducted on Tetiaroa, French Polynesia, between the 2007/2008 and 2018/2019 nesting seasons and revealed a trend of increasing annual nest numbers with large inter-annual fluctuations. We deployed temperature loggers to record incubation conditions and estimated hatchling sex ratios. We recorded low incubation temperatures (mean = 28.5 °C, standard deviation = 0.7 °C) and estimated that currently 54% of all hatchlings produced are male. Low incubation temperatures may be linked to light sand color, shading from vegetation behind beaches and heavy rainfall. Since this site will likely continue to produce males in the future, there is reason for cautious optimism for this population of green sea turtles.

中文翻译：

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在偏远的南太平洋绿海龟栖息地生产雄性幼龟：在女性主导的世界中的保护意义

海龟的性别决定取决于温度，雄性在低孵化温度下产生，而雌性在胚胎发育温度范围内的高温下产生。在气候变化的背景下，有人担心气温升高会导致女性产量增加。如果主要性别比例极度偏斜，雄性产量低（以及随后的雄性可用性）可能会威胁到长期的种群生存能力。加剧这些担忧的是，世界上大多数海龟筑巢地点已经报告了偏向女性的性别比例。在这里，我们首次描述了南太平洋偏远绿海龟 (Chelonia mydas) 筑巢地的主要性别比例。筑巢调查在法属波利尼西亚的 Tetiaroa、在 2007/2008 和 2018/2019 筑巢季节之间，并显示出每年筑巢数量增加且年际波动较大的趋势。我们部署了温度记录器来记录孵化条件和估计的孵化性别比。我们记录了低孵化温度（平均值 = 28.5 °C，标准偏差 = 0.7 °C），并估计目前生产的所有幼龟中有 54% 是雄性。孵化温度低可能与浅沙色、海滩后面植被遮荫和强降雨有关。由于该地点将来可能会继续生产雄性，因此有理由对这些绿海龟种群持谨慎乐观态度。我们部署了温度记录器来记录孵化条件和估计的孵化性别比。我们记录了低孵化温度（平均值 = 28.5 °C，标准偏差 = 0.7 °C），并估计目前生产的所有幼龟中有 54% 是雄性。孵化温度低可能与浅沙色、海滩后面植被遮荫和强降雨有关。由于该地点将来可能会继续生产雄性，因此有理由对这些绿海龟种群持谨慎乐观态度。我们部署了温度记录器来记录孵化条件和估计的孵化性别比。我们记录了低孵化温度（平均值 = 28.5 °C，标准偏差 = 0.7 °C），并估计目前生产的所有幼龟中有 54% 是雄性。孵化温度低可能与浅沙色、海滩后面植被遮荫和强降雨有关。由于该地点将来可能会继续生产雄性，因此有理由对这些绿海龟种群持谨慎乐观态度。