UPSC | Prelims GS | 2026

The study on agile frogs reported in the newspaper highlights which possible ecological consequence of climate-driven sex reversal?

  1. A population skewed towards one sex may face reduced mating opportunities and higher extinction risk.
  2. Sex reversal permanently increases genetic diversity in every population.
  3. Sex-reversed males always sire more offspring than sex-concordant males.
  4. Warming eliminates infectious-disease vulnerability in amphibians.

Answer

Correct Answer

A population skewed towards one sex may face reduced mating opportunities and higher extinction risk.

Explanation

Option A is correct: more frequent warming-related sex reversal can skew sex ratios, reduce mating chances and combine with lower paternity and disease vulnerability to raise extinction risk. Option B is wrong because the report warns of reduced genetic diversity. Option C reverses the finding that sex-reversed males sire fewer offspring. Option D is wrong because heat and ranavirus together increase vulnerability.

Topics: amphibian biology, climate change ecology, environment, sex reversal in agile frogs