Publications by authors named "S Ryding"
Animals are predicted to shrink and shape-shift as the climate warms, declining in size, while their appendages lengthen. Determining which types of species are undergoing these morphological changes, and why, is critical to understanding species responses to global change, including potential adaptation to climate warming. We examine body size and bill length changes in 25 shorebird species using extensive field data (> 200,000 observations) collected over 46 years (1975-2021) by community scientists.
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- Researchers studied 5013 museum bird skins from 78 Australian species to investigate how climate change affects body size and shape in birds.
- Findings revealed that birds are adapting to warming climates by increasing appendage sizes (like bill and wing length) while overall body size tends to decrease, supporting existing theories about climate-induced morphological changes.
- The study also noted complex, short-term responses to temperature increases, showing that while appendage sizes might decrease after heatwaves, the long-term trends indicate broader adaptive strategies across various bird types.
Many animal appendages, such as avian beaks and mammalian ears, can be used to dissipate excess body heat. Allen's rule, wherein animals in warmer climates have larger appendages to facilitate more efficient heat exchange, reflects this. We find that there is widespread evidence of 'shape-shifting' (changes in appendage size) in endotherms in response to climate change and its associated climatic warming.
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