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Af redaktionen 09-05 2009 - 11:05

Researchers from Denmark’s National Environmental Research Institute at the University of Aarhus have gathered information that points to climate change causing Greenland wolf spiders to increase in size.

Toke Thomas Høye, one of the researchers, has been studying the carnivorous wolf spiders, known scientifically as Pardosa glacialis, between 1996 and 2005 in the area surrounding the Zackenberg research station, northeastern Greenland.

Høye and his colleagues have collected thousands of the carnivorous spiders, who prey on spiderlings, and measured them over the nine year period.

The studies have shown that there is a marked increase in the size of both sexes of the spider. However, the sexes react differently to their new size. While females use their increased size to produce more young, males take advantage of the extra resources afforded them to reach sexual maturity faster.

The time at which the snow melts during the Arctic spring is believed to be the main factor behind the species habits and habitat.