Climate change and the ecology and evolution of Arctic vertebrates

TY - JOUR

T1 - Climate change and the ecology and evolution of Arctic vertebrates

AU - Gilg, Olivier

AU - Kovacs, Kit M.

AU - Aars, J.

AU - Fort, Jerome

AU - Gauthier, Gilles

AU - Gremillet, D.

AU - Ims, Rolf A.

AU - Meltofte, Hans

AU - Moreau, J.

AU - Post, Eric

AU - Schmidt, Niels Martin

AU - Yannic, G.

AU - Bollache, L.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Climate change is taking place more rapidly and severely in the Arctic than anywhere on the globe, exposing Arctic vertebrates to a host of impacts. Changes in the cryosphere dominate the physical changes that already affect these animals, but increasing air temperatures, changes in precipitation, and ocean acidification will also affect Arctic ecosystems in the future. Adaptation via natural selection is problematic in such a rapidly changing environment. Adjustment via phenotypic plasticity is therefore likely to dominate Arctic vertebrate responses in the short term, and many such adjustments have already been documented. Changes in phenology and range will occur for most species but will only partly mitigate climate change impacts, which are particularly difficult to forecast due to the many interactions within and between trophic levels. Even though Arctic species richness is increasing via immigration from the South, many Arctic vertebrates are expected to become increasingly threatened during this century.

AB - Climate change is taking place more rapidly and severely in the Arctic than anywhere on the globe, exposing Arctic vertebrates to a host of impacts. Changes in the cryosphere dominate the physical changes that already affect these animals, but increasing air temperatures, changes in precipitation, and ocean acidification will also affect Arctic ecosystems in the future. Adaptation via natural selection is problematic in such a rapidly changing environment. Adjustment via phenotypic plasticity is therefore likely to dominate Arctic vertebrate responses in the short term, and many such adjustments have already been documented. Changes in phenology and range will occur for most species but will only partly mitigate climate change impacts, which are particularly difficult to forecast due to the many interactions within and between trophic levels. Even though Arctic species richness is increasing via immigration from the South, many Arctic vertebrates are expected to become increasingly threatened during this century.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06412.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06412.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22329928

SN - 0077-8923

VL - 1249

SP - 166

EP - 190

JO - New York Academy of Sciences. Annals

JF - New York Academy of Sciences. Annals

ER -