Rising Temperatures and Morphological Changes in New England Peromyscus
Kunkemueller, Lincoln
Kunkemueller, Lincoln
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Abstract
Ecogeographic rules, such as Bergmann's Rule, predict that mammalian populations in warm climates will be smaller than their cold climate counterparts. This is often attributed to how small body size can help a mammal dissipate body heat when living in warm environments due to an increased surface area to volume ratio. One major aspect of climate change is an increase in mean annual temperatures, which may introduce new selective pressures on thermoregulatory strategies. In connection to Bergmann's Rule, s I hypothesize that as mean annual temperatures increase, mammalian body size will decrease as an adaptation to prevent overheating. In this study, I use a linear model to compare the head-body (nose to tail base) length of more than 1,400 Peromyscus (Deer Mice) specimens from 5 states in New England across the last 120 years. I find some evidence of changes in the head-body length of Deer Mice, which may indicate that thermoregulation strategies are under selection pressure as average temperatures rise.
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Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Senior (Graduating in 2026)
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Poster
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Zoology
College/School
College of Arts and Sciences
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Life Science