Range shifts and non-monotonic clines in studies of Bergmann’s rule as applied to climate change

What is it about?

Many animals are larger at colder climates, such as near the poles. This is called "Bergmann's Rule," though many animals do not follow it. As climate change raises global temperatures, scientists have wondered if Bergmann's Rule applies over time as well. If a species follows Bergmann's Rule over space, one could guess it follows the rule over time as well, but this is not always the case. Furthermore, species may respond to climate change by migrating, which could appear like shrinking or growing over time if researchers are not careful to consider other options.

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