Increasing winter temperatures explain body size decrease in wintering bird populations of Northern Europe—But response patterns vary along the spatioclimatic gradient
Bosco, Laura; Otterbeck, Andreas; Fransson, Thord; Lindén, Andreas; Piha, Markus; Lehikoinen, Aleksi (2023)
Bosco, Laura
Otterbeck, Andreas
Fransson, Thord
Lindén, Andreas
Piha, Markus
Lehikoinen, Aleksi
Julkaisusarja
Global Ecology and Biogeography
Volyymi
32
Numero
12
Sivut
2100-2110
Wiley
2023
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20231214154229
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20231214154229
Tiivistelmä
Aim
Recent evidence has shown changes in body size and shape of individuals, which are suggested to be a result of global warming caused by climate change. Here, we explored the spatiotemporal changes in wing length and body mass of 24 wintering bird species in Northern Europe and how these relate to temperature anomaly.
Location
Finland and Sweden, Europe.
Time Period
50 years, 1970 to 2020.
Major Taxa Studied
Birds, 24 species.
Methods
We used site-specific, long-term winter ringing data containing wing length and body mass measurements from across Sweden and Finland for 24 bird species. We modelled wing length and body mass change over time, in relation to the spatioclimatic gradient and as response to temperature anomalies (of [i] the same winter as the ringing took place, [ii] the previous winter and [iii] the previous spring) by accounting for phylogenetic relatedness between species and their species-specific responses to each predictor of interest.
Results
We show that across all species, body size has decreased since the 1970s, with a negative relationship between wing length and temperature anomalies of previous winters, suggesting carry-over effects likely linked to body size-related survival or dispersal. Body mass was negatively related to the temperature anomaly of the same winter, indicating more immediate effects related to reduced fat reserves during mild winters.
Main Conclusions
Our results highlight a climate-driven decrease in body size across several species and its association with positive anomalies in winter temperature in the high latitudes. However, the responses are not spatially uniform and there is considerable species-specific variation, emphasizing the importance of conducting multispecies studies when investigating responses to climate change. The mechanisms of decreasing wing length and body mass seem to differ and underline the immediate and carry-over effects of temperature warming during the nonbreeding season.
Recent evidence has shown changes in body size and shape of individuals, which are suggested to be a result of global warming caused by climate change. Here, we explored the spatiotemporal changes in wing length and body mass of 24 wintering bird species in Northern Europe and how these relate to temperature anomaly.
Location
Finland and Sweden, Europe.
Time Period
50 years, 1970 to 2020.
Major Taxa Studied
Birds, 24 species.
Methods
We used site-specific, long-term winter ringing data containing wing length and body mass measurements from across Sweden and Finland for 24 bird species. We modelled wing length and body mass change over time, in relation to the spatioclimatic gradient and as response to temperature anomalies (of [i] the same winter as the ringing took place, [ii] the previous winter and [iii] the previous spring) by accounting for phylogenetic relatedness between species and their species-specific responses to each predictor of interest.
Results
We show that across all species, body size has decreased since the 1970s, with a negative relationship between wing length and temperature anomalies of previous winters, suggesting carry-over effects likely linked to body size-related survival or dispersal. Body mass was negatively related to the temperature anomaly of the same winter, indicating more immediate effects related to reduced fat reserves during mild winters.
Main Conclusions
Our results highlight a climate-driven decrease in body size across several species and its association with positive anomalies in winter temperature in the high latitudes. However, the responses are not spatially uniform and there is considerable species-specific variation, emphasizing the importance of conducting multispecies studies when investigating responses to climate change. The mechanisms of decreasing wing length and body mass seem to differ and underline the immediate and carry-over effects of temperature warming during the nonbreeding season.
Collections
- Julkaisut [85808]