Sea turtles are endangered, in part because of human encroachment on the beaches where they lay eggs. You are working with a team to help protect turtle nests and hatchlings from curious beachgoers. Someone suggests putting a fabric dome over each nest to keep people away. What is your response?

Question

A.  "That will have several benefits, including protecting the nests from rough weather and hurricanes."
B.  "That would create a new problem if it blocked the females, since the females sit on the nests to keep them warm."
C.  "That might create a new problem. Sea turtles use temperature-dependent sex determination, and lowering the temperature of the nest will likely change the sex ratio of the hatchlings."
D.  "That would create a new problem if it blocked the males. The males have to be able to dig into the nest to fertilize the eggs."

Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?

What type of thinking is required?


Gather Content
What do you already know about turtle development? What other information is related to the question?


Choose Answer Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?


Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

C.  "That might create a new problem. Sea turtles use temperature-dependent sex determination, and lowering the temperature of the nest will likely change the sex ratio of the hatchlings."


Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
     · The concept of importance of turtle nest variables is addressed in this question.

What type of thinking is required?
     · Evaluate level:
       o This question is asking you to weigh and judge, or evaluate, the impact of environmental variables on a turtle nest.


Gather Content
What do you already know about turtle development? What other information is related to the question?
     · The gender of a baby turtle is determined by the temperature at which the nest is incubated.


Choose Answer Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
     · A fabric dome would not provide protection against something with the strength of a hurricane, nor would it provide protection from other rough weather. 
     · Female turtles do not sit on nests because they are ectotherms and could not provide warmth that way.
     · Males do not fertilize the eggs after laying -- they use internal fertilization and fertilize the eggs before they leave the female’s body.
     · Since turtles use temperature-dependent sex determination, the shadows from a tent -- or for that matter, from high-rise hotels on the beach -- can lower the temperature and alter sex ratios.


Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
     · Evaluate level:
       o Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to weigh and judge, or evaluate, the factors that influence turtle nestlings. If you got an incorrect answer, did you remember that turtles do not provide parental care to their offspring once eggs are laid, or that the sex of a sea turtle is determined by the temperature at which the nest is incubated? Did you have trouble weighing the merits of environmental variables relative to turtle nests to determine the correct answer?