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Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses

Phenotypic plasticity and microevolution are the two primary means by which organisms respond adaptively to local conditions. While these mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, their relative magnitudes will influence both the rate of, and ability to sustain, phenotypic responses to climate change....

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Boutin, Stan, Lane, Jeffrey E
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3894896/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24454546
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eva.12121
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author Boutin, Stan
Lane, Jeffrey E
author_facet Boutin, Stan
Lane, Jeffrey E
author_sort Boutin, Stan
collection PubMed
description Phenotypic plasticity and microevolution are the two primary means by which organisms respond adaptively to local conditions. While these mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, their relative magnitudes will influence both the rate of, and ability to sustain, phenotypic responses to climate change. We review accounts of recent phenotypic changes in wild mammal populations with the purpose of critically evaluating the following: (i) whether climate change has been identified as the causal mechanism producing the observed change; (ii) whether the change is adaptive; and (iii) the relative influences of evolution and/or phenotypic plasticity underlying the change. The available data for mammals are scant. We found twelve studies that report changes in phenology, body weight or litter size. In all cases, the observed response was primarily due to plasticity. Only one study (of advancing parturition dates in American red squirrels) provided convincing evidence of contemporary evolution. Subsequently, however, climate change has been shown to not be the causal mechanism underlying this shift. We also summarize studies that have shown evolutionary potential (i.e. the trait is heritable and/or under selection) in traits with putative associations with climate change and discuss future directions that need to be undertaken before a conclusive demonstration of plastic or evolutionary responses to climate change in wild mammals can be made.
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spelling pubmed-38948962014-01-22 Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses Boutin, Stan Lane, Jeffrey E Evol Appl Reviews and Syntheses Phenotypic plasticity and microevolution are the two primary means by which organisms respond adaptively to local conditions. While these mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, their relative magnitudes will influence both the rate of, and ability to sustain, phenotypic responses to climate change. We review accounts of recent phenotypic changes in wild mammal populations with the purpose of critically evaluating the following: (i) whether climate change has been identified as the causal mechanism producing the observed change; (ii) whether the change is adaptive; and (iii) the relative influences of evolution and/or phenotypic plasticity underlying the change. The available data for mammals are scant. We found twelve studies that report changes in phenology, body weight or litter size. In all cases, the observed response was primarily due to plasticity. Only one study (of advancing parturition dates in American red squirrels) provided convincing evidence of contemporary evolution. Subsequently, however, climate change has been shown to not be the causal mechanism underlying this shift. We also summarize studies that have shown evolutionary potential (i.e. the trait is heritable and/or under selection) in traits with putative associations with climate change and discuss future directions that need to be undertaken before a conclusive demonstration of plastic or evolutionary responses to climate change in wild mammals can be made. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2014-01 2013-12-13 /pmc/articles/PMC3894896/ /pubmed/24454546 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eva.12121 Text en Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ Re-use of this article is permitted in accordance with the Creative Commons Deed, Attribution 2.5, which does not permit commercial exploitation.
spellingShingle Reviews and Syntheses
Boutin, Stan
Lane, Jeffrey E
Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
title Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
title_full Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
title_fullStr Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
title_full_unstemmed Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
title_short Climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
title_sort climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses
topic Reviews and Syntheses
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3894896/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24454546
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eva.12121
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