Evolution and climate change: Survival of the less fit
Shorter, milder winters caused by global warming to blame for steady decrease in size of St Kilda sheep, experts sayThe mysterious shrinking sheep of St Kilda sounds like a job for super-sleuth Sherlock Holmes.The case involves a rare herd of wild sheep on the remote Scottish island - known in Scottish Gaelic as Hirta - that are refusing to bow to conventional evolutionary pressure, which says big is best. Instead, they have steadily decreased in size since the 1980s.Scientists have now stepped in to solve the conundrum, and fingered the culprit as the new Moriarty of mankind: global warming.The experts say shorter and milder winters mean that lambs do not need to put as much weight on during their first few months of life. Smaller animals that would have perished in harsh winters a few decades ago can now survive to their first birthday. As a result, the average weight of the sheep has dropped by 81g each year.The difference is too small to see with the naked eye, but it is important because it shows how ani
Evolution and climate change: Survival of the less fit
The mystery of Scotland’s shrinking sheep may have been solvedON THE remote island of Hirta, in the St Kilda archipelago beyond the Outer Hebrides, live hundreds of wild Soay sheep. Over ...
Fri 3 Jul 09 from The Economist
How global warming shrank St Kilda's sheep
It was the curious case of the shrinking sheep. For nearly a quarter of a century the wild Soay sheep on the windswept Scottish island of Hirta have been getting smaller when evolution should ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from The Independent
Baaad news? Global warming now shrinking sheep
Like the wool sweater that emerges from the dryer a size too small, global warming seems to be shrinking sheep.
Thu 2 Jul 09 from USA today
Baaad news? Global Warming Now Shrinking Sheep, Thu 2 Jul 09 from U.S. News
Climate change is shrinking sheep
Climate change is causing a breed of wild sheep in Scotland to shrink, according to research.
Thu 2 Jul 09 from BBC News
Climate change and the mystery of the shrinking sheep
Milder winters are causing Scotland's wild breed of Soay sheep to get smaller, despite the evolutionary benefits of possessing a large body, according to new research due to be published in ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from PhysOrg
The Incredible Shrinking Sheep of Scotland
According to a new study in Science, it seems that at least one animal -- the wild sheep of Soay Island -- is adapting to climate change
Thu 2 Jul 09 from TIME
The Incredible Shrinking Sheep
Like a wool coat in the rain, sheep are shrinking. But it's not rain that's doing it.
Fri 3 Jul 09 from Livescience
Soay sheep shrinking in climate change
LONDON, July 3 (UPI) -- Milder weather brought about by climate change is causing Soay sheep to shrink on an uninhabited British island, scientists said.
Fri 3 Jul 09 from UPI
Scientists solve mystery of Scotland's shrinking sheep
Shorter, milder winters caused by global warming to blame for steady decrease in size of St Kilda sheep, experts sayThe mysterious shrinking sheep of St Kilda sounds like a job for super-sleuth ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from Guardian.co.uk
Bookmark
