Climate Change Gives Sex Selection a Boost

When it comes to climate change, what's love got to do with it? A lot, according to a study of shifts in bird migrations in response to global warming. Competition for females may be helping some species adapt to climate change more quickly.

The timing of bird migrations appears to be extremely sensitive to climate change. Many migrating species have been arriving earlier by the year as warmer springs thaw the snows ever sooner than in the past. But wWhat remains to be explained is why some species of birds are far more affected than are others in the same geographic range. Answering this question could help scientists better anticipate global warming's impact on biodiversity and allow them to prioritize conservation efforts.