New findings published in Nature Communications reveal that heatwaves compromise sperm function and negatively impact the fertility across generations. A research team investigated the effects of simulated heatwaves on male reproduction in beetles. It was found that heatwaves halved the sperm count in males and damaged the inseminated sperm within the female reproductive tracts. The offsprings of males subjected to heatwaves had a shorter lifespan than normal. This could explain why biodiversity is suffering under climate change.
Source: Sales K, Vasudeva R, Dickinson ME, Godwin JL, Lumley AJ, Michalczyk Ł, et al. Experimental heatwaves compromise sperm function and cause transgenerational damage in a model insect. Nat Commun. 2018 Nov 13;9(1):4771.
