The effects of climate on bat morphology across space and time

According to Bergmann's and Allen's rules, climate change may drive morphological shifts in species, affecting body size and appendage length. These rules predict that species in colder climates tend to be larger and have shorter appendages to improve thermoregulation. Bats are thought to be sensitive to climate and are therefore expected to respond to climatic changes across space and time. We conducted a phylogenetic meta‐analysis on > 27 000 forearm length (FAL) and body mass (BM) measurements from 20 sedentary European bat species to examine body size patterns. We assessed the relationships between body size and environmental variables (winter and summer temperatures, and summer precipitation) across geographic locations, and also analysed temporal trends in body size. We found sex‐specific morphological shifts in the body size of European bats in response to temperature and precipitation patterns across space, but no clear temporal changes due to high interspecific variability. Across Europe, male FAL decreased with increasing summer and winter temperatures, and BM increased with greater precipitation. In contrast, both FAL and BM of female bats increased with summer precipitation and decreased with winter temperatures. Our data can confirm Bergmann's rule for both males and females, while females' BM variations are also related to summer precipitation, suggesting a potential link to resource availability. Allen's rule is confirmed only in males in relation to summer temperature, while in females FAL and BM decrease proportionally with increasing temperature, maintaining a constant allometric relationship incompatible with Allen's rule. This study provides new insights into sex and species‐dependent morphological changes in bat body size in response to temperature and precipitation patterns. It highlights how body size variation reflects adaptations to temperature and precipitation patterns, thus providing insights into potential species‐level morphological responses to climate change across Europe.

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Publication Details

Journal
Ecography
Published
2025-04-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ecog.07663
Citations
4
Primary Topic
Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
12.11

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The effects of climate on bat morphology across space and time

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The effects of climate on bat morphology across space and time

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article en
4 citations

Abstract

According to Bergmann's and Allen's rules, climate change may drive morphological shifts in species, affecting body size and appendage length. These rules predict that species in colder climates tend to be larger and have shorter appendages to improve thermoregulation. Bats are thought to be sensitive to climate and are therefore expected to respond to climatic changes across space and time. We conducted a phylogenetic meta‐analysis on > 27 000 forearm length (FAL) and body mass (BM) measurements from 20 sedentary European bat species to examine body size patterns. We assessed the relationships between body size and environmental variables (winter and summer temperatures, and summer precipitation) across geographic locations, and also analysed temporal trends in body size. We found sex‐specific morphological shifts in the body size of European bats in response to temperature and precipitation patterns across space, but no clear temporal changes due to high interspecific variability. Across Europe, male FAL decreased with increasing summer and winter temperatures, and BM increased with greater precipitation. In contrast, both FAL and BM of female bats increased with summer precipitation and decreased with winter temperatures. Our data can confirm Bergmann's rule for both males and females, while females' BM variations are also related to summer precipitation, suggesting a potential link to resource availability. Allen's rule is confirmed only in males in relation to summer temperature, while in females FAL and BM decrease proportionally with increasing temperature, maintaining a constant allometric relationship incompatible with Allen's rule. This study provides new insights into sex and species‐dependent morphological changes in bat body size in response to temperature and precipitation patterns. It highlights how body size variation reflects adaptations to temperature and precipitation patterns, thus providing insights into potential species‐level morphological responses to climate change across Europe.

EcographyVol. 2025(7)
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (FR), University of Insubria (IT), University of Stirling (GB), University of Copenhagen (DK), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Helsinki (FI), University of Lisbon (PT), University of Sussex (GB), University of the Basque Country (ES), Warsaw University of Life Sciences (PL), Universidade do Porto (PT), University of Konstanz (DE), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO), University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca (RO), University of Wrocław (PL), University of Exeter (GB), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BG), Bat Conservation Trust (GB), Mammal Research Institute (PL), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), Moldova State University (MD), Babeș-Bolyai University (RO), Sorbonne Université (FR), University of Gdańsk (PL), Estación Biológica de Doñana (ES), Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (FR), Nature Environnement 17 (FR), Hospital General de Granollers (ES), Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LU), Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (DE), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES), Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive (FR), University of Veterinary Medicine (HU), Finnish Museum of Natural History (FI), Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth (IT), Vincent Wildlife Trust (GB), National Museum of Natural History (BG), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NO), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (DE), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (ES), Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals (PL), Boğaziçi University (TR), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NO), EcoHealth Alliance (US), University of Naples Federico II (IT), Sapienza University of Rome (IT), Université de Franche-Comté (FR)
Leverhulme Trust, European Commission, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Gentofte Hospital, Bulgarian National Science Fund, Université de Lyon, Laboratoire d'Excellence Ecofect, Natural Environment Research Council, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, National Research, Development and Innovation Office
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
12.11
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