Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape?
The potential consequences of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation on species diversity and extinction have drawn considerable attention in recent decades. In many cases, traditional island biogeography theory has been applied to explain the observed patterns. Here, we propose that habitat fragmentat...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2003-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol7/iss2/art6/ |
| _version_ | 1818743406974730240 |
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| author | Niels Martin Schmidt Per Moestrup Jensen |
| author_facet | Niels Martin Schmidt Per Moestrup Jensen |
| author_sort | Niels Martin Schmidt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The potential consequences of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation on species diversity and extinction have drawn considerable attention in recent decades. In many cases, traditional island biogeography theory has been applied to explain the observed patterns. Here, we propose that habitat fragmentation as a selective force can be traced in mammalian body length changes. By exploring historical sources, we are able to show that the body length of Danish mammals has altered over a period of 175 years, possibly in response to increasing habitat fragmentation. The rate of body length change was generally lowest in medium-sized mammals, and increased with both smaller and larger body mass. Small mammals have generally increased, whereas large mammals have decreased in length. In addition to habitat fragmentation, some species may experience other selective forces, such as traffic, and may be trapped in an evolutionary tug-of-war, where the selective forces pull in opposite directions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:27:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2bb32775afc6471db5c2a3e2209b30cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:27:55Z |
| publishDate | 2003-12-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-2bb32775afc6471db5c2a3e2209b30cc2022-12-21T21:23:59ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872003-12-0172610.5751/ES-00520-070206520Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape?Niels Martin Schmidt0Per Moestrup Jensen1Royal Veterinary and Agricultural UniversityRoyal Veterinary and Agricultural UniversityThe potential consequences of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation on species diversity and extinction have drawn considerable attention in recent decades. In many cases, traditional island biogeography theory has been applied to explain the observed patterns. Here, we propose that habitat fragmentation as a selective force can be traced in mammalian body length changes. By exploring historical sources, we are able to show that the body length of Danish mammals has altered over a period of 175 years, possibly in response to increasing habitat fragmentation. The rate of body length change was generally lowest in medium-sized mammals, and increased with both smaller and larger body mass. Small mammals have generally increased, whereas large mammals have decreased in length. In addition to habitat fragmentation, some species may experience other selective forces, such as traffic, and may be trapped in an evolutionary tug-of-war, where the selective forces pull in opposite directions.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol7/iss2/art6/body lengthhabitat fragmentationisland biogeographyisland rulemammaliareproductive capacitysize-specific mortalitytraffic |
| spellingShingle | Niels Martin Schmidt Per Moestrup Jensen Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape? Ecology and Society body length habitat fragmentation island biogeography island rule mammalia reproductive capacity size-specific mortality traffic |
| title | Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape? |
| title_full | Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape? |
| title_fullStr | Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape? |
| title_short | Changes in Mammalian Body Length over 175 Years - Adaptations to a Fragmented Landscape? |
| title_sort | changes in mammalian body length over 175 years adaptations to a fragmented landscape |
| topic | body length habitat fragmentation island biogeography island rule mammalia reproductive capacity size-specific mortality traffic |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol7/iss2/art6/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nielsmartinschmidt changesinmammalianbodylengthover175yearsadaptationstoafragmentedlandscape AT permoestrupjensen changesinmammalianbodylengthover175yearsadaptationstoafragmentedlandscape |