A recent study led by scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Reading challenges Bergmann’s rule, an old scientific principle stating that animals in cooler climates tend to be larger than those in warmer climates. The researchers found that this rule does not hold true for dinosaurs or modern mammals and birds. They analyzed data from the fossil record, including the northernmost dinosaurs known to scientists, and found no increase in body size for Arctic dinosaurs despite freezing temperatures and snowfall. The study suggests that Bergmann’s rule is only applicable to a subset of animals and should be considered an exception rather than a rule.
The idea for the study came about when a graduate student at UAF, Lauren Wilson, wondered if Bergmann’s rule applied to dinosaurs. After evaluating data points from the fossil record, the researchers concluded that latitude is not a predictor of body size for dinosaurs or modern mammals and birds. While there was a small relationship between body size and temperature in modern birds, the same was not found for prehistoric birds. The researchers highlight the importance of using the fossil record to test current scientific rules and hypotheses in order to gain a better understanding of evolutionary processes.
Jacob Gardner, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Reading and co-lead author of the paper, emphasizes the value of the fossil record in providing insights into different ecosystems and climate conditions. By studying fossil organisms, scientists can assess the applicability of ecological rules in a new way. Pat Druckenmiller, a co-author of the paper and director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North, stresses the importance of understanding the evolutionary roots of modern ecosystems. He believes that looking to the past is essential for understanding how ecosystems have evolved over time.
The study found that Bergmann’s rule does not hold true for dinosaurs or modern mammals and birds. Despite living in high-latitude, cooler climates, the Arctic dinosaurs did not exhibit larger body sizes. The researchers suggest that the evolution of body sizes in dinosaurs and mammals is not solely determined by latitude or temperature, highlighting the complexity of ecological relationships. By examining data from the fossil record, scientists can gain new insights into the applicability of scientific rules and hypotheses to prehistoric organisms.
The researchers’ findings challenge traditional scientific principles and highlight the need to consider a broader range of variables when studying the evolution of body sizes in animals. By incorporating data from the fossil record, scientists can gain a better understanding of how ecosystems have evolved over time and how ecological rules apply to both modern and prehistoric organisms. The study serves as a reminder of the importance of looking to the past to understand the present and future of ecosystems and the complex relationships between living organisms and their environments.
