Shrinking as a response to climate change (?)
Changes in body size has been described as the third universal response to climate change along with range shifts and changes in phenology. One of the explanations invoked is Bergmann's rule by which larger species/populations are found at higher latitude and colder temperature. A dangerous stretch is to suppose that these changes are thus adaptive. Recent studies (a striking example here) have shown that shrinking could actually be bad news, and should maybe seen as a warning rather than a sign of adaptation.
Recent highlight
Disentangling the effects of spring anomalies of climate and net primary production on body size of temperate songbirds. In press. N. Dubos, I. Le Viol, A. Robert, C. Teplitsky, M. Ghislain, O. Dehorter, R. Julliard and P. Y. Henry. Ecography.
In a temperate region such as France, bird populations show little response to temperature in terms of body size and are rather affected by NDVI, an estimate of food availability.
Disentangling the effects of spring anomalies of climate and net primary production on body size of temperate songbirds. In press. N. Dubos, I. Le Viol, A. Robert, C. Teplitsky, M. Ghislain, O. Dehorter, R. Julliard and P. Y. Henry. Ecography.
In a temperate region such as France, bird populations show little response to temperature in terms of body size and are rather affected by NDVI, an estimate of food availability.
Phenological changes
Warmer and earlier springs triggers earlier breeding in many species.
Still building
Still building