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Clinical Examination Protocol to Detect Atypical and Classical Scrapie in Sheep

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Climate change: is the dark Soay sheep endangered?

Shane K Maloney¹, Andrea Fuller, Duncan Mitchell

¹Physiology M311: Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia. shanem@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

Biology Letters

|July 24, 2009

Summary

The proportion of dark Soay sheep (Ovis aries) is decreasing due to climate warming. Warmer temperatures reduce the advantage of dark coats for thermoregulation and may lessen the benefit of larger body size.

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Area of Science:

Zoology
Ecology
Climate Change Biology

Background:

Soay sheep (Ovis aries) in the Hebrides show a decreasing proportion of dark-colored individuals.
Darker sheep are typically larger, conferring a selective advantage for body size in colder climates.
Previous studies suggested genetic linkage, but did not explain the observed decline.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the reasons behind the decreasing proportion of dark-colored Soay sheep.
To explore the potential impact of climate warming on coat color selection in Soay sheep populations.
To evaluate the interplay between thermoregulation, body size, and environmental temperature.

Main Methods:

Analysis of Soay sheep coat color proportions over time.
Correlation of population data with historical climate records (1985-2005).
Evaluation of thermoregulatory advantages and Bergman's rule in relation to body size and climate.

Main Results:

A significant increase in mean ambient temperature was observed between 1985 and 2005.
The selective advantage of dark coats for absorbing solar radiation may be diminishing with warming temperatures.
Reduced selective advantage for large body size, potentially due to Bergman's rule, may also be a factor.

Conclusions:

Environmental changes, specifically climate warming, are likely driving the decrease in dark-colored Soay sheep.
Warming temperatures reduce the benefits of dark coloration for thermoregulation and potentially large body size.
Smaller, light-colored sheep may be favored due to lower energy demands in the current climate, suggesting a continued decline in dark sheep proportions.