The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia

<p>Published data on the body weight of capercaillie, <em>Tetrao urogallus</em>, from the region mostly situated north of 60° latitude were analyzed. With the addition of new estimates from some points in the species range one can see that the study area is almost exclusively popul...

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Main Authors: Vladimir Borchtchevski, Alex Gilyazov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences 2015-12-01
Series:Transactions of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.krc.karelia.ru/index.php/biogeo/article/view/232
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author Vladimir Borchtchevski
Alex Gilyazov
author_facet Vladimir Borchtchevski
Alex Gilyazov
author_sort Vladimir Borchtchevski
collection DOAJ
description <p>Published data on the body weight of capercaillie, <em>Tetrao urogallus</em>, from the region mostly situated north of 60° latitude were analyzed. With the addition of new estimates from some points in the species range one can see that the study area is almost exclusively populated by large individuals (cocks ≥ 4.0 kg, hens ≥ 2.0 kg). Taking all the populations included in the analysis as a whole, the body weight of birds changed independently of the geographic latitude and longitude. Apparently, the intra-species taxonomic heterogeneity in the study area was the main source of the spatial variability of body weight. If we remove the influence of the ≪taxonomy≫ factor by excluding the populations chiefly represented by small-size birds, the weight of males demonstrates a significant direct dependence on longitude and latitude, the one of females shows a slight direct correlation with geographical latitude only. These correlations allow interpreting the spatial variability of body weight in accordance with Bergmann's rule (for both sexes) and/or the rule of optimum (for males only). The nature of inter-population changes in the asymmetry of the frequency distributions of male body weight indicates the direction of the resultant effect of all (multidirectional) vectors of natural selection in accordance with these rules.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-2da0f5f0b51a41d1955e5881000147f92022-12-21T19:01:31ZengKarelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of SciencesTransactions of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences1997-32172312-45042015-12-013526610.17076/bg232155The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern EurasiaVladimir Borchtchevski0Alex Gilyazov1State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology – MVA by K. I. SkryabinLapland State Biosphere Reserve<p>Published data on the body weight of capercaillie, <em>Tetrao urogallus</em>, from the region mostly situated north of 60° latitude were analyzed. With the addition of new estimates from some points in the species range one can see that the study area is almost exclusively populated by large individuals (cocks ≥ 4.0 kg, hens ≥ 2.0 kg). Taking all the populations included in the analysis as a whole, the body weight of birds changed independently of the geographic latitude and longitude. Apparently, the intra-species taxonomic heterogeneity in the study area was the main source of the spatial variability of body weight. If we remove the influence of the ≪taxonomy≫ factor by excluding the populations chiefly represented by small-size birds, the weight of males demonstrates a significant direct dependence on longitude and latitude, the one of females shows a slight direct correlation with geographical latitude only. These correlations allow interpreting the spatial variability of body weight in accordance with Bergmann's rule (for both sexes) and/or the rule of optimum (for males only). The nature of inter-population changes in the asymmetry of the frequency distributions of male body weight indicates the direction of the resultant effect of all (multidirectional) vectors of natural selection in accordance with these rules.</p>http://journals.krc.karelia.ru/index.php/biogeo/article/view/232: body weightcapercaillietetrao urogalluseurasia, asymmetry (skewness) of the frequency distributionbergmann’s rulerule of optimum
spellingShingle Vladimir Borchtchevski
Alex Gilyazov
The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia
Transactions of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences
: body weight
capercaillie
tetrao urogallus
eurasia, asymmetry (skewness) of the frequency distribution
bergmann’s rule
rule of optimum
title The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia
title_full The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia
title_fullStr The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia
title_full_unstemmed The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia
title_short The body weight of capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus: spatial variability in Northern Eurasia
title_sort body weight of capercaillie tetrao urogallus spatial variability in northern eurasia
topic : body weight
capercaillie
tetrao urogallus
eurasia, asymmetry (skewness) of the frequency distribution
bergmann’s rule
rule of optimum
url http://journals.krc.karelia.ru/index.php/biogeo/article/view/232
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