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Overwintering Strategies Drive Climate Change Impacts on Body Mass in Northern Mammals.

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Τίτλος: Overwintering Strategies Drive Climate Change Impacts on Body Mass in Northern Mammals.
Συγγραφείς: Leach O; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada., Peers MJL; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada., Earle A; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada., Majchrzak YN; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada., Boonstra R; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada., Boutin S; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada., Murray DL; Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada., Jung TS; Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.; Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada., Gilbert BS; Applied Science and Management, Yukon University, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada., Kenney AJ; Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada., Wal EV; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Πηγή: Global change biology [Glob Chang Biol] 2026 Oct; Vol. 32 (10), pp. e71132.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Blackwell Pub Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9888746 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1365-2486 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13541013 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Glob Chang Biol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: : Oxford : Blackwell Pub.
Original Publication: Oxford, UK : Blackwell Science, 1995-
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Arvicolinae*/physiology , Peromyscus*/physiology , Hares*/physiology , Climate Change* , Body Weight*, Animals ; Seasons ; Yukon Territory ; Temperature ; Body Size
Περίληψη: Climate change drives variable shifts in mammalian body sizes, yet the mechanisms underlying this variation remain unclear. Two explanations prevail: (1) higher temperatures reduce thermal constraints, favouring smaller bodies; or (2) warming enhances primary productivity, supporting larger bodies. We propose that species' overwintering strategies, which mitigate exposure to winter temperatures, determine which mechanism predominates. Using ~50 years of body mass data, we tested these hypotheses in three small mammals with contrasting natural histories in the rapidly warming Yukon, Canada. Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), exposed to ambient winter conditions, declined in mass over time and responded negatively to temperature and snow. In subnivean species, deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) showed no long-term trend but increased body mass with growing degree days, whereas red-backed voles (Clethrionomys rutilus) increased with temperature and snow. The results demonstrate that overwintering ecology mediates climate-driven body mass change, emphasizing the role of natural history in shaping species' responses to warming.
(© 2026 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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Grant Information: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Polar Knowledge Canada; Weston Family Foundation
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Bergmann's rule; body mass; boreal forest; climate change; deer mouse; red‐backed vole; snow; snowshoe hare
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260930 Date Completed: 20260930 Latest Revision: 20260930
Update Code: 20260930
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.71132
PMID: 42812007
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
Περιγραφή
ISSN:1365-2486
DOI:10.1111/gcb.71132