ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sex allocation

Sex allocation is the process of determining which group of organisms will have male genders and which group will have female genders. If you are a parent who has a baby, you will notice that there are two types of babies, one with a penis and the other with a vagina. These babies are known as boys and girls.

Now, when two adults come together to make a baby, they do not know whether the baby will be a boy or girl. It is basically left to chance, but science has shown that some organisms can control the sex of their offspring.

For example, some plants can control the sex of their flowers by producing male or female flowers separately, and some animals can control the sex of their offspring depending on the environment. For instance, crocodiles have a sophisticated sex allocation method that enables them to determine the sex of their babies depending on the temperature of the environment where the eggs are kept.

Similarly, some animals, especially fish, can change their sex during their lifetime. They can start out as males and later change to females or vice versa depending on the needs of the population. It's like how you can change your clothes, depending on the weather or your mood.

In summary, sex allocation is the process of organisms deciding which gender their children will be or how they can change their gender during their lifetime. It's like choosing what clothes to wear or changing clothes to suit the occasion or setting.