Climate Change–Induced Alterations in Sexual Development and Reproductive Timing

Climate change constitutes an unprecedented threat to global biodiversity, profoundly affecting reproductive success and the long term viability of species. This review consolidates current knowledge on how climate driven alterations, chiefly rising temperatures, shifting precipitation regimes, ocean acidification, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, disrupt sexual development and reproductive timing across a broad range of taxa. Both direct and indirect pathways are examined, including shifts in temperature dependent sex determination, hormonal perturbations, impairment of gametogenesis, and phenological mismatches. A worldwide synthesis reveals consistent trends of earlier breeding, modified migration patterns, and skewed sex ratios in aquatic, terrestrial, and avian organisms. The ecological and evolutionary ramifications of these shifts are discussed, highlighting reductions in population fitness, heightened extinction risk, and the potential for maladaptive responses. The review concludes by identifying critical research gaps and emphasizing the urgent need for systematic monitoring, mechanistic investigations, and the implementation of robust conservation strategies to address these pervasive reproductive challenges.