Body size changes among otters, Lutra lutra, in Norway: The possible effects of food availability and global warming

Yoram Yom-Tov*, Thrine Moen Heggberget, Øystein Wiig, Shlomith Yom-Tov

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using museum data of adult specimens whose sex, age, and locality are known, we studied temporal and geographical body size trends among the otter, Lutra lutra, in Norway. We found that body size of the otters increased during the last quarter of the twentieth century, and suggest that this trend is related to increased food availability from fish farming and possibly also to energy saving due to elevated sea temperatures. Birth year and death year explained 38.8 and 43.5%, respectively, of the variation in body size. Body size of otters was positively related to latitude, thus conforming to Bergmann's rule.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)155-160
Number of pages6
JournalOecologia
Volume150
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2006

Funding

FundersFunder number
Israel Cohen Chair for Environmental Zoology

    Keywords

    • Bergmann's rule
    • Fish farming

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