NewsEnvironmentThe animal's genetic make-up has changed significantly in recent decades

Tuesday, 5th November 2019, 7:00 pm

Scientists have found the first evidence that wild animals are rapidly evolving to give birth earlier in the year in response to climate change.

Red deer on the Scottish Isle of Rum are giving birth 12.3 days earlier in the year, on average, than they were four decades ago - and evolution is at least partly responsible, a new study finds.

Researchers have analysed 45 years of data and identified a significant change in the genetic makeup of female red deer - known as hinds - with genes for breeding earlier becoming far more common over the period.

The genes are thought to bring forward the timing of oestrus - or heat - in the female, increasing the chance that they will become pregnant and give birth earlier.

Rutting season brought forward

The change is a response to an earlier rutting season - with males competing for females a little sooner each year as warmer temperatures bring forward the grazing season.

"This is the best evidence yet for a genetic change in the timing of events in the wild. Usually people think of evolution as very slow but this seems quite fast," said Professor Josephine Pemberton, of the University of Edinburgh.

Hinds give birth to a single calf a year, conceiving in the autumn and giving birth in the summer.

'This is the best evidence yet for a genetic change in the timing of events in the wild'

Josephine Pemberton

Genes have played a significant part in bringing forward the birth dates but non-genetic effects of the warming weather on the deer's behaviour and physiology are also thought to have a role, the researchers said.

Sally Thomas, of Scottish National Heritage, which manages the Isle of Rum nature reserve where the deer live, said: "These findings are a fascinating example of the impact climate change may be having on wildlife."

Timothee Bonnet, of the Australian National University, who led the study, said: "This is one of the few cases where we have documented evolution in action, showing that it may help populations adapt to climate warming."

The study was published in the journal PLOS Biology. It also involved scientists from the universities of St Andrews and Cambridge.

The rest is here:
Red deer are evolving to give birth earlier in the year due to climate change - inews

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