New Paper: Increasing mismatch in Scotland's mountain hares

A new paper led by Marketa Zimova from the University of Michigan uses historical resurveys to show that rapid climate change and static molt phenology in a seasonally color-changing mammal, the mountain hare, has resulted in a continuing decline in camouflage. While there doesn’t seem to be any evidence for a current detrimental effect of mismatch, one fear is that restoration of fitness costs to mismatch would have strong ecological effects on hares.

This is a great study drawing on a range of skills including climate modeling, serious bayesian analysis, and loads of fieldwork. It’s getting a fair bit of coverage too.

Penn State, U. of Michigan, The Guardian, Sky News, BBC

Zimova, M., S.T. Giery, S. Newey, J. Nowak, M. Spencer, and L.S. Mills. Lack of phenological shift leads to increased camouflage mismatch in mountain hares. Proceedings of the Royal Society London B. 287: 20201786. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1786.