Ozgul, A., Childs, D.Z., Oli, M.K. et al. (5 more authors) (2010) Coupled dynamics of body mass and population growth in response to environmental change. Nature, 466. pp. 482-485. ISSN 0028-0836
Abstract
Environmental change has altered the phenology, morphological traits and population dynamics of many species. However, the links underlying these joint responses remain largely unknown owing to a paucity of long-term data and the lack of an appropriate analytical framework. Here we investigate the link between phenotypic and demographic responses to environmental change using a new methodology and a long-term (1976–2008) data set from a hibernating mammal (the yellow-bellied marmot) inhabiting a dynamic subalpine habitat. We demonstrate how earlier emergence from hibernation and earlier weaning of young has led to a longer growing season and larger body masses before hibernation. The resulting shift in both the phenotype and the relationship between phenotype and fitness components led to a decline in adult mortality, which in turn triggered an abrupt increase in population size in recent years. Direct and trait-mediated effects of environmental change made comparable contributions to the observed marked increase in population growth. Our results help explain how a shift in phenology can cause simultaneous phenotypic and demographic changes, and highlight the need for a theory integrating ecological and evolutionary dynamics in stochastic environments.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in Nature. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | YELLOW-BELLIED MARMOTS; RECENT CLIMATE-CHANGE; REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES; QUANTITATIVE TRAIT; NATURAL-SELECTION; LIFE-HISTORY; DEMOGRAPHY; EVOLUTION; FLAVIVENTRIS; SURVIVAL |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) > Department of Animal and Plant Sciences (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 15 Nov 2017 15:09 |
Last Modified: | 15 Nov 2017 15:14 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09210 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/nature09210 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:123974 |