Final answer:
The major disadvantage of temperature-dependent sex determination is the limited adaptability to environmental changes, leading to skewed sex ratios and potential reproductive challenges.The correct answer is (B).
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses the potential drawbacks of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), which is a mechanism by which the sex of an organism is determined by the temperature during critical periods of embryo development. One significant disadvantage is limited adaptability to environmental changes. This occurs because if the environmental temperature tends to favor one sex over the other, it can lead to a skewed sex ratio which, in turn, impedes mating opportunities and potential reproduction success.
Sexual reproduction, as opposed to TSD, is known to result in greater variation in the offspring and can provide an adaptive advantage in changing environments due to increased genetic diversity. However, TSD may limit genetic variation and thus, the population's ability to adapt to new or changing conditions, possibly increasing the chance of extinction.
A disadvantage to temperature-dependent sex determination is limited adaptability to environmental changes. In this form of sex determination, the sex of an individual is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. This means that changes in environmental temperature can result in skewed sex ratios, which may limit the ability of the population to adapt to changing conditions.