Global warming is changing the dynamics of Arctic host-parasite systems

Copy number variation introduced by a massive mobile element facilitates global thermal adaptation in a fungal wheat pathogen

Copy number variation (CNV) can drive rapid evolution in changing environments. In microbial pathogens, such adaptation is a key factor underpinning epidemics and colonization of new niches. However, the genomic determinants of such adaptation remain poorly understood. Here, we systematically investigate CNVs in a large genome sequencing dataset spanning a worldwide collection of 1104 genomes from the major wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. We found overall strong purifying selection acting on most CNVs. Genomic defense mechanisms likely accelerated gene loss over episodes of continental colonization. Local adaptation along climatic gradients was likely facilitated by CNVs affecting secondary metabolite production and gene loss in general. One of the strongest loci for climatic adaptation is a highly conserved gene of the NAD-dependent Sirtuin family. The Sirtuin CNV locus localizes to an ~68-kb Starship mobile element unique to the species carrying genes highly expressed during plant infection. The element has likely lost the ability to transpose, demonstrating how the ongoing domestication of cargo-carrying selfish elements can contribute to selectable variation within populations. Our work highlights how standing variation in gene copy numbers at the global scale can be a major factor driving climatic and metabolic adaptation in microbial species.

A De Novo Whole Genome Assembly and Annotation of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis

Parelaphostrongylus tenuis causes ungulate morbidity and mortality in eastern and central North America, but no reference genome sequence exists to facilitate research. Here, we present a P. tenuis genome assembly and annotation, generated with PacBio and Illumina technologies. The assembly is 491 Mbp, with 7285 scaffolds and 185 kb N50.

Helminth ecological requirements shape the impact of climate change on the hazard of infection

Outbreaks and spread of infectious diseases are often associated with seasonality and environmental changes, including global warming. Free-living stages of soil-transmitted helminths are highly susceptible to climatic drivers; however, how multiple climatic variables affect helminth species, and the long-term consequences of these interactions, is poorly understood. We used experiments on nine trichostrongylid species of herbivores to develop a temperature- and humidity-dependent model of infection hazard, which was then implemented at the European scale under climate change scenarios. Intestinal and stomach helminths exhibited contrasting climatic responses, with the former group strongly affected by temperature while the latter primarily impacted by humidity. Among the demographic traits, larval survival heavily modulated the infection hazard. According to the specific climatic responses of the two groups, climate change is expected to generate differences in the seasonal and spatial shifts of the infection hazard and group co-circulation. In the future, an intensification of these trends could create new opportunities for species range expansion and co-occurrence at European central-northern latitudes.

An integrative and multi-indicator approach for wildlife health applied to an endangered caribou herd

Assessing wildlife health in remote regions requires a multi-faceted approach, which commonly involves convenient samplings and the need of identifying and targeting relevant and informative indicators. We applied a novel wildlife health framework and critically assessed the value of different indicators for understanding the health status and trends of an endangered tundra caribou population. Samples and data from the Dolphin and Union caribou herd were obtained between 2015 and 2021, from community-based surveillance programs and from captured animals. We documented and categorized indicators into health determinants (infectious diseases and trace elements), processes (cortisol, pathology), and health outcomes (pregnancy and body condition). During a recent period of steep population decline, our results indicated a relatively good body condition and pregnancy rates, and decreasing levels of stress, along with a low adult cow survival. We detected multiple factors as potential contributors to the reduced survival, including Brucella suis biovar 4, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and lower hair trace minerals. These results remark the need of targeted studies to improve detection and investigations on caribou mortalities. We also identified differences in health indicators between captured and hunter sampled caribou, highlighting the importance of accounting for sampling biases. This integrative approach that drew on multiple data sources has provided unprecedented knowledge on the health in this herd and highlights the value of documenting individual animal health to understand causes of wildlife declines.

The presence of air sac nematodes in passerines and near-passerines in southern Germany

Major climatic changes in conjunction with animal movement may be associated with the spread of parasites and their vectors into new populations, with potentially important consequences for population persistence. Parasites can evolve to adapt to unsuitable ecological conditions and take up refuge within new host species, with consequences for the population growth of the new host species. One parasite species that has likely been increasing its geographic range, and potentially infecting new hosts, is the recently described air sac nematode Serratospiculoides amaculata, in great tits (Parus major) in Slovakia. In this study, we screened wild birds for potential air sac nematode infection in a woodland area of southern Germany. We identified four additional host species: Eurasian nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker, greenfinch and robin. As infection by this group of nematodes can be highly pathogenic, we recommend further investigation into its potential risk to these populations.

A Review of Circumpolar Arctic Marine Mammal Health-A Call to Action in a Time of Rapid Environmental Change

The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species.

Current and future distribution of a parasite with complex life cycle under global change scenarios: Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe

Global change is expected to have complex effects on the distribution and transmission patterns of zoonotic parasites. Modelling habitat suitability for parasites with complex life cycles is essential to further our understanding of how disease systems respond to environmental changes, and to make spatial predictions of their future distributions. However, the limited availability of high quality occurrence data with high spatial resolution often constrains these investigations. Using 449 reliable occurrence records for Echinococcus multilocularis from across Europe published over the last 35 years, we modelled habitat suitability for this parasite, the aetiological agent of alveolar echinococcosis, in order to describe its environmental niche, predict its current and future distribution under three global change scenarios, and quantify the probability of occurrence for each European country. Using a machine learning approach, we developed large-scale (25 × 25 km) species distribution models based on seven sets of predictors, each set representing a distinct biological hypothesis supported by current knowledge of the autecology of the parasite. The best-supported hypothesis included climatic, orographic and land-use/land-cover variables such as the temperature of the coldest quarter, forest cover, urban cover and the precipitation seasonality. Future projections suggested the appearance of highly suitable areas for E. multilocularis towards northern latitudes and in the whole Alpine region under all scenarios, while decreases in habitat suitability were predicted for central Europe. Our spatially explicit predictions of habitat suitability shed light on the complex responses of parasites to ongoing global changes.

Distinct patterns of soil bacterial and fungal community assemblages in subtropical forest ecosystems under warming

Climate change globally affects soil microbial community assembly across ecosystems. However, little is known about the impact of warming on the structure of soil microbial communities or underlying mechanisms that shape microbial community composition in subtropical forest ecosystems. To address this gap, we utilized natural variation in temperature via an altitudinal gradient to simulate ecosystem warming. After 6 years, microbial co-occurrence network complexity increased with warming, and changes in their taxonomic composition were asynchronous, likely due to contrasting community assembly processes. We found that while stochastic processes were drivers of bacterial community composition, warming led to a shift from stochastic to deterministic drivers in dry season. Structural equation modelling highlighted that soil temperature and water content positively influenced soil microbial communities during dry season and negatively during wet season. These results facilitate our understanding of the response of soil microbial communities to climate warming and may improve predictions of ecosystem function of soil microbes in subtropical forests.

Bison and elk spatiotemporal interactions in Elk Island National Park

Elk Island National Park (EINP) is a fenced park in the Beaver Hills UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of central Alberta where aspen parkland is being conserved. This area maintains high densities of native ungulates including elk (Cervus elaphus), bison (Bison bison bison, B. bison athabascae), moose (Alces alces), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and mule deer (O. hemionus). Our objective was to evaluate spatiotemporal overlap and interspecific interactions between bison and elk in EINP using camera traps. Bison and elk have overlapping habitat use and diet and are the primary focus of ungulate management in EINP. We examined distributions of both species in relation to season, landscape characteristics, anthropogenic features, and heterospecifics using generalized linear models (GLMs). We then examined seasonal daily activity patterns of bison and elk and calculated the degree of overlap. The spatial analysis revealed that bison counts were positively associated with higher proportions of open habitats across seasons and in areas farther from water in summer and fall but had no associations with distance to water during winter. Bison removal year (years during which bison removals were conducted by Parks Canada) was a significant predictor variable for bison counts in winter when the bison roundup takes place. Elk avoided areas with high linear feature density across seasons. During fall and winter, we observed higher elk counts associated with bison presence. Temporal activity patterns revealed that elk were crepuscular in all three seasons, but bison activity patterns varied with diurnal activity being more common in the summer, crepuscular activity in winter, and intermediate activity patterns during fall. Coefficients of overlap between elk and bison were high in all three seasons with the greatest difference in daily activity patterns in summer and the highest overlap in winter when both species showed strong crepuscular activity. Despite the fenced perimeter in EINP resulting in high ungulate densities, limited dispersal, and low predation, our data show patterns of habitat use and interactions between bison and elk that were similar to those in other systems. Spatiotemporal partitioning does not appear necessary for coexistence of bison and elk in the aspen parkland.

Behaviour is more important than thermal performance for an Arctic host-parasite system under climate change

Climate change is affecting Arctic ecosystems, including parasites. Predicting outcomes for host-parasite systems is challenging due to the complexity of multi-species interactions and the numerous, interacting pathways by which climate change can alter dynamics. Increasing temperatures may lead to faster development of free-living parasite stages but also higher mortality. Interactions between behavioural plasticity of hosts and parasites will also influence transmission processes. We combined laboratory experiments and population modelling to understand the impacts of changing temperatures on barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and their common helminth (Ostertagia gruehneri). We experimentally determined the thermal performance curves for mortality and development of free-living parasite stages and applied them in a spatial host-parasite model that also included behaviour of the parasite (propensity for arrested development in the host) and host (long-distance migration). Sensitivity analyses showed that thermal responses had less of an impact on simulated parasite burdens than expected, and the effect differed depending on parasite behaviour. The propensity for arrested development and host migration led to distinct spatio-temporal patterns in infection. These results emphasize the importance of considering behaviour-and behavioural plasticity-when projecting climate-change impacts on host-parasite systems.

Efficacy of Trapping Methods in the Collection of Eretmapodites (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes in an Afrotropical Rainforest Region, South western Cameroon

Very little data exist on the biology of an afrotropical rainforest mosquito Eretmapodites (Er.) in a world undergoing dramatic changes due to deforestation. The aim was to assess the efficacy of different trapping methods in the collection of Er. mosquito in forested area. This was a longitudinal study involving collection of mosquitoes for over two years. Multiple collection methods (grouped into two categories), were used; i) net baited and un-baited traps to collect adults, ii) techniques that target immature stages subsequently reared to adults. All males were identified by genitalia dissection. Five thousand seven hundred and four mosquitoes representing 11 genera among which 2,334 Er. were identified. Mosquito abundance was highest in the net traps (n = 1276 (56.4%)) and sweep nets (n = 393(17.4%)) respectively. The abundance was highest in green colored net traps (435(34.09%)) with significant value of χ2= 40.000, P < 0.001 and in pigeons baited traps (473 (37.06%)) with significant value of χ2= 42.000, P = 0.003. The diversity ranges from H' = 2.65; DS = 0.84; SR = 24; ACE = 24.77 in sweep net to H' = 0; DS = 0; SR = 1; ACE = 1 in rock pool among males mosquitoes. While for females, H = 1.14; DS = 0.71; SR = 5; ACE = 5.16, in sweep net to H = 0; DS = 0; SR = 1; ACE = 1 in rock pool, tarpaulin, resting cage. Net traps, bamboo pot, and sweep netting are efficient in collecting high abundance of forest mosquitoes in the Talanagaye rainforest.

A SCOPING REVIEW OF THE RANGIFER TARANDUS INFECTIOUS DISEASE LITERATURE: GAP BETWEEN INFORMATION AND APPLICATION

The role and impact of infectious diseases in wildlife population dynamics are increasingly recognized, yet disease information is variably incorporated into wildlife management frameworks. This discrepancy is particularly relevant for Rangifer tarandus (caribou or reindeer), a keystone circumarctic species experiencing widespread population declines. The primary objective of this review was to characterize the available peer-reviewed literature on infectious diseases of Rangifer by using a scoping review methodology. Three databases of peer-reviewed literature-Web of Science, BIOSIS previews, and Scopus-were searched and 695 articles met the criteria for initial review. After screening for relevance and language, 349 articles, published between 1967 and 2020, remained. More than half of the excluded articles (181/346; 52%) were left out because they were not published in English; the majority of these excluded articles (120) were in Russian. From the 349 included articles, 137 (39%) pertained to wild (as opposed to semidomesticated or captive) Rangifer populations. Articles on infectious disease in wild Rangifer were published in 40 different journals across various disciplines; the most common journals were disease and parasitology oriented, accounting for 55% of included articles. Most studies were descriptive (87%), followed by experimental (9%). Of the pathogen taxa investigated, helminths were the most common, comprising 35% of articles. Rangifer subspecies were not equally represented in the literature, with barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus; n=40) and woodland caribou (R. t. caribou; n=39) having the greatest abundance and diversity of infectious disease information available. Few studies explicitly examined individual or population-level impacts of disease, or related disease to vital population rates, and only 27 articles explicitly related results to management or conservation. Findings from this review highlight an unbalanced distribution of studies across Rangifer ecotypes, a preference for dissemination in disease-specialized publication venues, and an opportunity for investigating population-level impacts that may be more readily integrated into caribou conservation frameworks.

Contrasting temperature responses in seasonal timing of cercariae shedding by Rhipidocotyle trematodes

Global warming is likely to lengthen the seasonal duration of larval release by parasites. We exposed freshwater mussel hosts, Anodonta anatina, from 2 high-latitude populations to high, intermediate and low temperatures throughout the annual cercarial shedding period of the sympatric trematodes Rhipidocotyle fennica and R. campanula, sharing the same transmission pathway. At the individual host level, under warmer conditions, the timing of the cercarial release in both parasite species shifted towards seasonally earlier period while its duration did not change. At the host population level, evidence for the lengthening of larvae shedding period with warming was found for R. fennica. R. campanula started the cercarial release seasonally clearly earlier, and at a lower temperature, than R. fennica. Furthermore, the proportion of mussels shedding cercariae increased, while day-degrees required to start the cercariae shedding decreased in high-temperature treatment in R. fennica. In R. campanula these effects were not found, suggesting that warming can benefit more R. fennica. These results do not completely support the view that climate warming would invariably increase the seasonal duration of larval shedding by parasites, but emphasizes species-specific differences in temperature-dependence and in seasonality of cercarial release.

Pathogenic parasites in sewage irrigated crops and soil: pattern of occurrence and health implications

The current study aimed to determine the contamination level by human parasite eggs and cysts of sewage-irrigated soil, food crops and fodder crops. Field trials were conducted on spray-irrigated lettuce and flood-irrigated crops using raw wastewater and fresh water. Findings showed that irrigation by raw wastewater led to crops contamination with parasite eggs and cysts in varying levels. Lettuce samples were positive (27.7%) for one or more helminth eggs including the pathogens Ascaris and Trichuris with an average of 4.7 eggs/kg. Wastewater application caused an increase in lettuce contamination, followed by a decreasing phase. Cessation of irrigation resulted in helminth eggs disappearance within a week. Flood-irrigated crops were contaminated with helminth eggs in levels ranging from 1.5 eggs/kg in alfalfa to 4.75 eggs/kg in coriander. The pathogenic Giardia,Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and commensal amoeba cysts were highly detected reaching 9.97x103 cysts/kg in alfalfa. Parasites highly concentrated in soil, with levels up to 159 eggs/100gdw and 1.3x103 cysts/gdw. Ascaris and Trichuris eggs developed in soil and crops attaining the infective stage. Crops and soil irrigated with fresh water were free from parasite eggs and cysts. The occurrence of pathogens in soil and crops implies health risks for farmers, produce handlers and consumers.

Forecasting parasite sharing under climate change

Species are shifting their distributions in response to climate change. This geographic reshuffling may result in novel co-occurrences among species, which could lead to unseen biotic interactions, including the exchange of parasites between previously isolated hosts. Identifying potential new host-parasite interactions would improve forecasting of disease emergence and inform proactive disease surveillance. However, accurate predictions of future cross-species disease transmission have been hampered by the lack of a generalized approach and data availability. Here, we propose a framework to predict novel host-parasite interactions based on a combination of niche modelling of future host distributions and parasite sharing models. Using the North American ungulates as a proof of concept, we show this approach has high cross-validation accuracy in over 85% of modelled parasites and find that more than 34% of the host-parasite associations forecasted by our models have already been recorded in the literature. We discuss potential sources of uncertainty and bias that may affect our results and similar forecasting approaches, and propose pathways to generate increasingly accurate predictions. Our results indicate that forecasting parasite sharing in response to shifts in host geographic distributions allow for the identification of regions and taxa most susceptible to emergent pathogens under climate change. This article is part of the theme issue 'Infectious disease macroecology: parasite diversity and dynamics across the globe'.

Long-term increases in pathogen seroprevalence in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) influenced by climate change

The influence of climate change on wildlife disease dynamics is a burgeoning conservation and human health issue, but few long-term studies empirically link climate to pathogen prevalence. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are vulnerable to the negative impacts of sea ice loss as a result of accelerated Arctic warming. While studies have associated changes in polar bear body condition, reproductive output, survival, and abundance to reductions in sea ice, no long-term studies have documented the impact of climate change on pathogen exposure. We examined 425 serum samples from 381 adult polar bears, collected in western Hudson Bay (WH), Canada, for antibodies to selected pathogens across three time periods: 1986-1989 (n = 157), 1995-1998 (n = 159) and 2015-2017 (n = 109). We ran serological assays for antibodies to seven pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Trichinella spp., Francisella tularensis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine morbillivirus (CDV) and canine parvovirus (CPV). Seroprevalence of zoonotic parasites (T. gondii, Trichinella spp.) and bacterial pathogens (F. tularensis, B. bronchiseptica) increased significantly between 1986-1989 and 1995-1998, ranging from +6.2% to +20.8%, with T. gondii continuing to increase into 2015-2017 (+25.8% overall). Seroprevalence of viral pathogens (CDV, CPV) and N. caninum did not change with time. Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence was higher following wetter summers, while seroprevalences of Trichinella spp. and B. bronchiseptica were positively correlated with hotter summers. Seroprevalence of antibodies to F. tularensis increased following years polar bears spent more days on land, and polar bears previously captured in human settlements were more likely to be seropositive for Trichinella spp. As the Arctic has warmed due to climate change, zoonotic pathogen exposure in WH polar bears has increased, driven by numerous altered ecosystem pathways.

Parasitic fauna of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) in Sweden (1997-1998)

BACKGROUND

The parasitic fauna of beavers (Castor fiber and C. canadensis) has been well studied in many parts of their respective areas of distribution. In Scandinavia there have, however, been limited investigations conducted on the parasites of beavers in recent times. The present study is the first quantitative survey of parasites on beavers living in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia. We investigated the parasitic fauna of the Eurasian beaver (C. fiber) in a North-South gradient in Sweden. The aim of the study was to investigate parasite distribution and prevalence in particular, related to average yearly air temperature and different age groups of beavers. A total of 30 beavers were sampled at eight localities, spanning a 720 km North-South gradient during the springs of 1997 and 1998.

RESULTS

Five parasite taxa were identified. Four of these were present in all of the examined beavers, Stichorchis subtriquetrus (trematode), Travassosius rufus (nematode), Platypsyllus castoris (coleopteran), and Schizocarpus spp. (arachnid). A higher number of new infections of S. subtriquetrus, and more adults of T. rufus, were seen in beavers in southern Sweden where temperatures are higher. One-year old beavers had a higher infestation of S. subtriquetrus, but not of T. rufus, than older individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

The parasite fauna of Swedish beavers mirrored the impoverished parasite fauna of the original Norwegian population, and the high prevalence of parasites could be due to low major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphism. Young beavers had a higher load of trematodes, probably depending on behavioural and ecological factors. Warmer temperatures in southern localities likely contributed to increased endoparasite loads.

A Peculiar Distribution of the Emerging Nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the Canary Islands (Spain): Recent Introduction or Isolation Effect?

Simple Summary

Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the rat lungworm, is considered the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. It is an emerging zoonotic parasite, endemic to the temperate and tropical zones of the Far East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, that has expanded to all continents with the exception of Antarctica. Considering the recent finding of this parasite in rats from the Canary Islands, the aim of this study was to determine its current distribution in these islands in order to highlight the risk sources for angiostrongyliasis in the archipelago. We also analyzed the environmental conditions that could determine distribution. A. cantonensis was detected in only one of the eight islands that constitute this archipelago, i.e., in the north part of the island, which presents better environmental conditions than the south for the parasite to establish itself. This limited distribution could indicate a recent introduction of the parasite in the Canaries or an isolation effect that has not allowed the expansion to the other islands. The presence of A. cantonensis implies risks for humans and other animals that justify the need of control measures to prevent the expansion to other similar areas of the archipelago.

Abstract

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging zoonotic nematode recognized as the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the word. After its discovery in China, it was recorded in 30 countries worldwide. Recently, it has expanded to new areas such as South America and it has been recently found in the Atlantic island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). In order to characterize the distribution of A. cantonensis in the Canary Islands, the lungs of 1462 rodents were sampled in eight islands of the archipelago over 13 years and were then analyzed for A. cantonensis. Remarkably, the parasite was detected only in Tenerife, in Rattus rattus (19.7%) and Rattus norvegicus (7.14%). They were concretely in the northern part of the island, which had a warmer and more humid climate than the south and main cities. The absence of this nematode in other islands with similar environmental conditions could be explained by an isolation effect or by a recent introduction of the parasite in the islands. Besides, the presence in Tenerife of the most invasive lineage of A. cantonensis reinforced the hypothesis of a recent introduction on this island. This study highlights the need to implement control measures to prevent the expansion to other areas in order to avoid the transmission to humans and other animals.

Distribution, prevalence and intensity of moose nose bot fly (Cephenemyia ulrichii) larvae in moose (Alces alces) from Norway

High host density combined with climate change may lead to invasion of harmful parasites in cervid (host) populations. Bot flies (Diptera: Oestridae) are a group of ectoparasites that may have strong impact on their hosts, but data on the current distribution, prevalence and intensity of the moose nose bot fly (Cephenemyia ulrichii) in Scandinavia are lacking. We estimated prevalence and intensity of nose bot fly larvae in 30 moose from southern and 79 moose from central Norway. All larvae detected were identified as the moose nose bot fly. We found surprisingly high prevalence in these areas, which are up to 1300 km south-southwest of the first published location in Norway and west of the distribution in Sweden. Prevalence (0.44-1.00) was higher in areas with higher moose density. Parasite intensity in hunter killed moose was higher in central Norway (mean 5.7) than southern Norway (mean 2.9), and in both regions higher in calves and yearlings than adults. Fallen moose had higher parasite intensity (mean 9.8) compared to hunter killed moose in the subsample from central Norway, suggesting a link to host condition or behavior. Our study provides evidence of parasite range expansion, and establishing monitoring appears urgent to better understand impact on host populations.

Interventions can shift the thermal optimum for parasitic disease transmission

Temperature constrains the transmission of many pathogens. Interventions that target temperature-sensitive life stages, such as vector control measures that kill intermediate hosts, could shift the thermal optimum of transmission, thereby altering seasonal disease dynamics and rendering interventions less effective at certain times of the year and with global climate change. To test these hypotheses, we integrated an epidemiological model of schistosomiasis with empirically determined temperature-dependent traits of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni and its intermediate snail host (Biomphalaria spp.). We show that transmission risk peaks at 21.7 °C (T _opt ), and simulated interventions targeting snails and free-living parasite larvae increased T _opt by up to 1.3 °C because intervention-related mortality overrode thermal constraints on transmission. This T _opt shift suggests that snail control is more effective at lower temperatures, and global climate change will increase schistosomiasis risk in regions that move closer to T _opt Considering regional transmission phenologies and timing of interventions when local conditions approach T _opt will maximize human health outcomes.

Modeling Thermal Suitability for Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus ssp.) Brainworm (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi) Transmission in Fennoscandia

The brainworm, Elaphostrongylus rangiferi, is a nematode which causes neurological disorders (elaphostrongylosis) in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus ssp.). Favorable climatic conditions have been inferred as the cause of sporadic outbreaks of elaphostrongylosis in Norway, supported by positive associations between observed outbreaks/intensity of infection and summer temperatures in the previous years. Climate warming which results in increased transmission of E. rangiferi therefore presents a risk to the health of semi-domesticated and wild reindeer in Fennoscandia (Norway, Sweden, and Finland), the health of co-grazing small ruminants, and the livelihoods of indigenous Sámi herders. As a first step toward developing climate change impact assessments for E. rangiferi, a degree-day model was developed for larval development in a range of gastropod hosts and applied to historic weather data. Predictions were validated by statistical and qualitative comparison against historic parasitological and outbreak records. The model predicted an overall increase in thermal suitability for E. rangiferi, which was statistically significant in the north and along the Scandinavian mountain ranges, where reindeer density is highest. In these regions annual cumulative temperature conditions are suitable for larval development within a single year, potentially changing E. rangiferi epidemiology from a 2-year transmission cycle to a 1-year transmission cycle. This is the first mechanistic model developed for E. rangiferi and could be used to inform veterinary risk assessments on a broad spatial scale. Limitations and further developments are discussed.

Being on Land and Sea in Troubled Times: Climate Change and Food Sovereignty in Nunavut

Climate change driven food insecurity has emerged as a topic of special concern in the Canadian Arctic. Inuit communities in this region rely heavily on subsistence; however, access to traditional food sources may have been compromised due to climate change. Drawing from a total of 25 interviews among Inuit elders and experienced hunters from Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk in Nunavut, Canada, this research examines how climate change is impacting food sovereignty and health. Our results show that reports of food insecurity were more pronounced in Kugluktuk than Cambridge Bay. Participants in Kugluktuk consistently noted declining availability of preferred fish and game species (e.g., caribou, Arctic char), a decline in participation of sharing networks, and overall increased difficulty accessing traditional foods. Respondents in both communities presented a consistent picture of climate change compounding existing socio-economic (e.g., poverty, disconnect between elders and youth) and health stressors affecting multiple aspects of food sovereignty. This article presents a situated understanding of how climate change as well as other sociocultural factors are eroding food sovereignty at the community-scale in the Arctic. We argue that a communal focus is required to address resilience and adaptation at the local level through programs that protect the local cultural knowledge, traditional ways of life, and indigenous sovereignty to reduce the severities of food insecurity in the Arctic stemming from climate change.

Effects of latitude, host body size, and host trophic guild on patterns of diversity of helminths associated with humans, wild and domestic mammals of Mexico

Parasites are strictly associated with their hosts and present a great diversity of life histories, often resulting in different diversity patterns than those observed in free-living species. However, ecological approaches have detected that, in some cases, mammal-associated helminths respond similarly to non-parasitic species in terms of diversity patterns. Using 2200 recorded interactions, we analysed the diversity patterns of helminths (Acanthocephala, Nematoda and Platyhelminthes) harbored by humans, wild and domestic mammals of Mexico, depending on latitude, host body mass and trophic guild (carnivore, herbivore, insectivore, omnivore), considering helminth richness and average taxonomic distinctness, and host phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic clustering. Latitude was positively correlated with the average taxonomic distinctness encompassing the three parasite phyla and nematodes. Northern latitudes had less taxonomically related parasite assemblages. Host body mass had a significant negative relationship with the average taxonomic distinctness of acanthocephalans and the richness of helminths associated to wild hosts. The omnivore hosts had greater parasite richness, while insectivores had a less taxonomically related parasite assemblage and herbivores had a more heterogeneous parasite assemblage. Our results highlight the importance of incorporating different dimensions of diversity, such as average taxonomic distinctness and to consider the composition of parasite assemblages to better understand their diversity patterns.

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Four diversity measures were used to describe diversity patterns of helminths.

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Latitude was positively correlated with helminth average taxonomic distinctness.

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Host body mass was negatively related with the helminth richness of wildlife hosts.

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Helminth sets of omnivore hosts were richer in parasite species.

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Helminth sets of insectivore hosts had a wider taxonomic breadth.

Range expansion of muskox lungworms track rapid arctic warming: implications for geographic colonization under climate forcing

Rapid climate warming in the Arctic results in multifaceted disruption of biodiversity, faunal structure, and ecosystem health. Hypotheses have linked range expansion and emergence of parasites and diseases to accelerating warming globally but empirical studies demonstrating causality are rare. Using historical data and recent surveys as baselines, we explored climatological drivers for Arctic warming as determinants of range expansion for two temperature-dependent lungworms, Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis and Varestrongylus eleguneniensis, of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus), in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from 1980 through 2017. Our field data shows a substantial northward shift of the northern edge of the range for both parasites and increased abundance across the expanded ranges during the last decade. Mechanistic models parameterized with parasites’ thermal requirements demonstrated that geographical colonization tracked spatial expansion of permissive environments, with a temporal lag. Subtle differences in life histories, thermal requirements of closely related parasites, climate oscillations and shifting thermal balances across environments influence faunal assembly and biodiversity. Our findings support that persistence of host-parasite assemblages reflects capacities of parasites to utilize host and environmental resources in an ecological arena of fluctuating opportunity (alternating trends in exploration and exploitation) driving shifting boundaries for distribution across spatial and temporal scales.

Adult survival in migratory caribou is negatively associated with MHC functional diversity

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are involved in acquired immunity in vertebrates. Only a few studies have investigated the fitness consequences of MHC gene diversity in wild populations. Here, we looked at the association between annual survival and body mass and MHC-DRB exon 2 (MHC-DRB) genetic diversity, obtained from high-throughput sequencing, in two declining migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds. To disentangle the potential direct and general effects of MHC-DRB genetic diversity, we compared different indices of diversity that were either based on DNA-sequence variation or on physicochemical divergence of the translated peptides, thereby covering a gradient of allelic-to-functional diversity. We found that (1) body mass was not related to MHC-DRB diversity or genotype, and (2) adult survival probability was negatively associated with point accepted mutation distance, a corrected distance that considers the likelihood of each amino acid substitution to be accepted by natural selection. In addition, we found no evidence of fluctuating selection over time on MHC-DRB diversity. We concluded that direct effects were involved in the negative relationship between MHC functional diversity and survival, although the mechanism underlying this result remains unclear. A possible explanation could be that individuals with higher MHC diversity suffer higher costs of immunity (immunopathology). Our results suggest that genetic diversity is not always beneficial even in genes that are likely to be strongly shaped by balancing selection.

Parasite Communities of Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis (Trewavas, 1983) in Relation to Selected Water Quality Parameters in the Springs of Lorwai Swamp and Lake Baringo, Kenya

PURPOSE

Parasite infections may lead to mortalities in fish; therefore, destabilizing the biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Swamps such as the Lorwai Swamp are important water sources, and information on the parasite species infecting Oreochromis nilotocus baringoensis in the hot springs of Lorwai Swamp which have a distinct genetic makeup from their counterparts in Lake Baringo is lacking. The purpose of this study was to provide a knowledge base on the parasite species infecting O. niloticus baringoensis in these springs, facilitate their comparison with those in Lake Baringo and determine their relationship with selected water quality parameters.

METHODS

347 fish were collected and standard parasitological procedures were used to examine the presence of parasites. Physico-chemical parameters were measured in situ and water samples were collected for chlorophyll-a determination and nutrient analyses in the laboratory using standard methods. Relationship between parasitic infections and selected water quality parameters was determined by PCA using SPSS version 22.

RESULTS

Two parasite species were common in all sites: Cichlidogyrus sclerosus and Clinostomum sp. Some parasites correlated positively with some parameters; Amirthalingamia macracantha and Contracaecum sp. with nitrogen compounds. Others like Clinostomum sp. and Tylodelphys sp. correlated negatively with dissolved oxygen.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study showed that there were both positive and negative relationships between some water quality parameters and the prevalence of recovered parasites. O. niloticus baringoensis from Lake Baringo also recorded high parasite prevalence and this calls for sensitization of the public on the risks that may arise from the consumption of undercooked infected fish.

Integrating data mining and transmission theory in the ecology of infectious diseases

Our understanding of ecological processes is built on patterns inferred from data. Applying modern analytical tools such as machine learning to increasingly high dimensional data offers the potential to expand our perspectives on these processes, shedding new light on complex ecological phenomena such as pathogen transmission in wild populations. Here, we propose a novel approach that combines data mining with theoretical models of disease dynamics. Using rodents as an example, we incorporate statistical differences in the life history features of zoonotic reservoir hosts into pathogen transmission models, enabling us to bound the range of dynamical phenomena associated with hosts, based on their traits. We then test for associations between equilibrium prevalence, a key epidemiological metric and data on human outbreaks of rodent-borne zoonoses, identifying matches between empirical evidence and theoretical predictions of transmission dynamics. We show how this framework can be generalized to other systems through a rubric of disease models and parameters that can be derived from empirical data. By linking life history components directly to their effects on disease dynamics, our mining-modelling approach integrates machine learning and theoretical models to explore mechanisms in the macroecology of pathogen transmission and their consequences for spillover infection to humans.

The biogeography of the caribou lungworm, Varestrongylus eleguneniensis (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae) across northern North America

Varestrongylus eleguneniensis (Nematoda; Protostrongylidae) is a recently described species of lungworm that infects caribou (Rangifer tarandus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and moose (Alces americanus) across northern North America. Herein we explore the geographic distribution of V. eleguneniensis through geographically extensive sampling and discuss the biogeography of this multi-host parasite. We analyzed fecal samples of three caribou subspecies (n = 1485), two muskox subspecies (n = 159), and two moose subspecies (n = 264) from across northern North America. Protostrongylid dorsal-spined larvae (DSL) were found in 23.8%, 73.6%, and 4.2% of these ungulates, respectively. A portion of recovered DSL were identified by genetic analyses of the ITS-2 region of the nuclear rDNA or the cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) region of the mtDNA. We found V. eleguneniensis widely distributed among caribou and muskox populations across most of their geographic prange in North America but it was rare in moose. Parelaphostrongylus andersoni was present in caribou and moose and we provide new geographic records for this species. This study provides a substantial expansion of the knowledge defining the current distribution and biogeography of protostrongylid nematodes in northern ungulates. Insights about the host and geographic range of V. eleguneniensis can serve as a geographically extensive baseline for monitoring current distribution and in anticipating future biogeographic scenarios under a regime of accelerating climate and anthropogenic perturbation.

Impact of deforestation on the abundance, diversity, and richness of Culex mosquitoes in a southwest Cameroon tropical rainforest

Deforestation is a major threat to biodiversity but little data exist on how deforestation in real-time affects the overall mosquito species community despite its known role in the transmission of diseases. We compared the abundance and diversity of Culex mosquitoes before and after deforestation along a gradient of three different anthropogenic disturbance levels in a tropical rainforest in southwestern Cameroon. The collections were conducted in unlogged forest (January, 2016), selectively logged forest (January, 2017), and within a young palm plantation (October, 2017) using net traps, sweep nets, resting traps, and dipping for immature stages in water bodies. Mosquitoes were morphologically identified to subspecies, groups, and species. A total of 2,556 mosquitoes was collected of which 1,663 (65.06%) belong to the genus Culex, (n=427 (25.68%) in the unlogged forest; n=900 (54.12%) in the selectively logged forest; and n=336 (20.2%) in the young palm plantation) with a significant difference among the habitats. Diversity and richness of mosquitoes varied significantly among habitats with the highest values found in the selectively logged forest (H=2.4; DS=0.87; S=33) and the lowest value in the unlogged forest (H=1.37; DS=0.68; S=13). The results of this study showed that deforestation affects the abundance and diversity of Culex mosquitoes and favors the invasion of anthropophilic mosquitoes. Higher mosquito abundance and diversity in the selectively logged forest than in the pristine forest is notable and some explanations for these differences are discussed.

Adaptations and phenotypic plasticity in developmental traits of Marshallagia marshalli

Despite the economic, social and ecological importance of the ostertagiine abomasal nematode Marshallagia marshalli, little is known about its life history traits and its adaptations to cope with environmental extremes. Conserved species-specific traits can act as exaptations that may enhance parasite fitness in changing environments. Using a series of experiments, we revealed several unique adaptations of the free-living stages of M. marshalli that differ from other ostertagiines. Eggs were isolated from the feces of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) from the Canadian Rocky Mountains and were cultured at different temperatures and with different media. Hatching occurred primarily as L1s in an advanced stage of development, morphologically very similar to a L2. When cultured at 20 °C, however, 2.86% of eggs hatched as L3, with this phenomenon being significantly more common at higher temperatures, peaking at 30 °C with 28.95% of eggs hatching as L3s. After hatching, free-living larvae of M. marshalli did not feed nor grow as they matured from L1 to infective L3. These life history traits seem to be adaptations to cope with the extreme environmental conditions that Marshallagia faces across its extensive latitudinal distribution in North America and Eurasia. In order to refine the predictions of parasite dynamics under scenarios of a changing climate, basic life history traits and temperature-dependent phenotypic behaviour should be incorporated into models for parasite biology.

Long-term variation in environmental conditions influences host-parasite fitness

Long-term data on host and parasite fitness are important for predicting how host-parasite interactions will be altered in an era of global change. Here, we use data collected from 1997 to 2013 to explore effects of changing environmental conditions on bird-blowfly interactions in northern New Mexico. The objectives of this study were to examine what climate variables influence blowfly prevalence and intensity and to determine whether blowflies and climate variables affect bird fledging success. We examined how temperature, precipitation, and drought affect two parasitic blowflies and their hosts, Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) and Ash-throated Flycatchers (Myiarchus cinerascens). We found that blowfly prevalence did not change over time. Blowfly intensity increased over time in bluebird nests, but not in flycatcher nests. More blowflies result in slightly higher fledging success in bluebirds, but not flycatchers. There was a significant interaction between blowflies and precipitation on bluebird fledging success. For flycatchers, there was a significant interaction between blowflies and temperature and between blowflies and drought severity on fledging success. Given that the southwest is projected to be hotter and have more frequent and prolonged droughts, we predict that flycatchers may be negatively impacted by blowflies if these trends continue. Future work should focus on investigating the role of both blowflies and climate on fledging success. Climate patterns may negatively impact host fitness through altered parasite pressure.

Topic modeling of major research themes in disease ecology of mammals

Disease ecology is a rapidly growing subdiscipline, and mammals and their parasites feature prominently in both historical and more recent research efforts. Nevertheless, the diversity of topics explored, and those not well explored, has not been systematically assessed. We conducted a systematic review of the published scientific literature in disease ecology of mammals and subjected the collection of original and review articles identified to a topic modeling approach, which is based on the words used in the published texts and their contexts (i.e., the frequency and strength of their semantic relationships with one another). In addition to concept maps identifying the most prominent research themes, we identified eight (not mutually exclusive) subcategories of studies, including experimental, theoretical, comparative, behavioral, immunological-microbiological, biogeographic-macroecological, vector-focused (e.g., mosquitoes), and disturbance-focused. The most prominent themes arising in review papers included the ecology of zoonotic diseases transmitted from non-human mammals, comparisons of pathogen prevalence between mammalian species, and pathogen discovery-disease surveillance studies, particularly of marine mammals and bats. For the original articles, the most prominent themes included ecology of rodent-transmitted viral and bacterial diseases and the population biology of zoonotic hosts. Most studies used comparative or descriptive approaches to investigate mammal-pathogen-disease relationships at a local scale, focusing on vector-borne diseases. Experimental, modeling, immunological, and behavioral approaches were strikingly underrepresented. Topics of strong conceptual importance, but that are underrepresented in the current literature, include: 1) the effects of the population density of mammalian hosts, and manipulations of density, on pathogen transmission; 2) macroecological studies that quantify effects of mammalian host species on parasite abundance and prevalence; and 3) effects of climate change on physiological and behavioral processes relevant to mammal-parasite interactions.

Infection with behaviour-manipulating parasites enhances bioturbation by key aquatic detritivores

The ecological ubiquity of parasites and their potential impacts on host behaviour have led to the suggestion that parasites can act as ecosystem engineers, structuring their environment and physical habitats. Potential modification of the relationship between parasites and their hosts by climate change has important implications for how hosts interact with both their biotic and abiotic environment. Here, we show that warming and parasitic infection independently increase rates of bioturbation by a key detritivore in aquatic ecosystems (Gammarus). These findings have important implications for ecosystem structure and functioning in a warming world, as alterations to rates of bioturbation could significantly modify oxygenation penetration and nutrient cycling in benthic sediments of rivers and lakes. Our results demonstrate a need for future ecosystem management strategies to account for parasitic infection when predicting the impacts of a warming climate.

Building an integrated infrastructure for exploring biodiversity: field collections and archives of mammals and parasites

Museum specimens play an increasingly important role in predicting the outcomes and revealing the consequences of anthropogenically driven disruption of the biosphere. As ecological communities respond to ongoing environmental change, host-parasite interactions are also altered. This shifting landscape of host-parasite associations creates opportunities for colonization of different hosts and emergence of new pathogens, with implications for wildlife conservation and management, public health, and other societal concerns. Integrated archives that document and preserve mammal specimens along with their communities of associated parasites and ancillary data provide a powerful resource for investigating, anticipating, and mitigating the epidemiological, ecological, and evolutionary impacts of environmental perturbation. Mammalogists who collect and archive mammal specimens have a unique opportunity to expand the scope and impact of their field work by collecting the parasites that are associated with their study organisms. We encourage mammalogists to embrace an integrated and holistic sampling paradigm and advocate for this to become standard practice for museum-based collecting. To this end, we provide a detailed, field-tested protocol to give mammalogists the tools to collect and preserve host and parasite materials that are of high quality and suitable for a range of potential downstream analyses (e.g., genetic, morphological). Finally, we also encourage increased global cooperation across taxonomic disciplines to build an integrated series of baselines and snapshots of the changing biosphere. Los especímenes de museo desempeñan un papel cada vez más importante tanto en la descripción de los resultados de la alteración antropogénica de la biosfera como en la predicción de sus consecuencias. Dado que las comunidades ecológicas responden al cambio ambiental, también se alteran las interacciones hospedador-parásito. Este panorama cambiante de asociaciones hospedador-parásito crea oportunidades para la colonización de diferentes hospedadores y para la aparición de nuevos patógenos, con implicancias en la conservación y manejo de la vida silvestre, la salud pública y otras preocupaciones de importancia para la sociedad. Archivos integrados que documentan y preservan especímenes de mamíferos junto con sus comunidades de parásitos y datos asociados, proporcionan un fuerte recurso para investigar, anticipar y mitigar los impactos epidemiológicos, ecológicos y evolutivos de las perturbaciones ambientales. Los mastozoólogos que recolectan y archivan muestras de mamíferos, tienen una oportunidad única de ampliar el alcance e impacto de su trabajo de campo mediante la recolección de los parásitos que están asociados con los organismos que estudian. Alentamos a los mastozoólogos a adoptar un paradigma de muestreo integrado y holístico y abogamos para que esto se convierta en una práctica estándarizada de la obtención de muestras para museos. Con este objetivo, proporcionamos un protocolo detallado y probado en el campo para brindar a los mastozoólogos las herramientas para recolectar y preservar materiales de parásitos y hospedadores de alta calidad y adecuados para una gran variedad de análisis subsecuentes (e.g., genéticos, morfológicos, etc.). Finalmente, también abogamos por una mayor cooperación global entre las diversas disciplinas taxonómicas para construir una serie integrada de líneas de base y registros actuales de nuestra cambiante biosfera.

Parasite prevalence increases with temperature in an avian metapopulation in northern Norway

Climate and weather conditions may have substantial effects on the ecology of both parasites and hosts in natural populations. The strength and shape of the effects of weather on parasites and hosts are likely to change as global warming affects local climate. These changes may in turn alter fundamental elements of parasite-host dynamics. We explored the influence of temperature and precipitation on parasite prevalence in a metapopulation of avian hosts in northern Norway. We also investigated if annual change in parasite prevalence was related to winter climate, as described by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). We found that parasite prevalence increased with temperature within-years and decreased slightly with increasing precipitation. We also found that a mild winter (positive winter NAO index) was associated with higher mean parasite prevalence the following year. Our results indicate that both local and large scale weather conditions may affect the proportion of hosts that become infected by parasites in natural populations. Understanding the effect of climate and weather on parasite-host relationships in natural populations is vital in order to predict the full consequence of global warming.

Identifying the abiotic and biotic drivers behind the elevational distribution shift of a parasitic plant

Climate change will alter the biotic and abiotic environment and dissipate ecological barriers, reorganising maps of current distribution of parasites and their hosts. In this study, we analyse the population dynamics of the parasitic plant Viscum album subsp. austriacum and explore key biotic (host availability and seed dispersal) as well as abiotic (temperature) factors influencing elevational distribution. The study was conducted along an elevational gradient of a Mediterranean mountain, covering the distribution belts of three potential pine hosts: Pinus halepensis (1300-1500 m), P. nigra (1300-1900 m) and P. sylvestris var. nevadensis (1600-2000 m). Along this gradient, we measured multiple variables of mistletoe population (prevalence, abundance and demographic profile) and different factors that might define the current mistletoe distribution (host suitability and availability, temperature and seed dispersal services). We found a decline in mistletoe prevalence and abundance with increasing elevation, detecting larger values of both variables at lower elevations of the most suitable host (Pinus nigra). Pinus sylvestris var. nevadensis was a suboptimal but suitable host for the parasite at high elevations. Mistletoe found suitable temperatures and seed dispersal services all along the gradient, being able to recruit at any site. With warming temperatures, the presence of suitable vectors for parasite dispersion, and the presence of a sub-optimal host (P. sylvestris var. nevadensis) at the mountain top, mistletoe currently has a window of opportunity to expand its present geographic distribution to the summits.

The effects of different cold-temperature regimes on development, growth, and susceptibility to an abiotic and biotic stressor

Global climate change is expected to both increase average temperatures as well as temperature variability.Increased average temperatures have led to earlier breeding in many spring-breeding organisms. However, individuals breeding earlier will also face increased temperature fluctuations, including exposure to potentially harmful cold-temperature regimes during early developmental stages.Using a model spring-breeding amphibian, we investigated how embryonic exposure to different cold-temperature regimes (control, cold-pulse, and cold-press) affected (a) compensatory larval development and growth, (b) larval susceptibility to a common contaminant, and (c) larval susceptibility to parasites.We found: (a) no evidence of compensatory development or growth, (b) larvae exposed to the cold-press treatment were more susceptible to NaCl at 4-days post-hatching but recovered by 17-days post-hatching, and (c) larvae exposed to both cold treatments were less susceptible to parasites.These results demonstrate that variation in cold-temperature regimes can lead to unique direct and indirect effects on larval growth, development, and response to stressors. This underscores the importance of considering cold-temperature variability and not just increased average temperatures when examining the impacts of climate disruption.

Arctic climate change and pollution impact little auk foraging and fitness across a decade

Ongoing global changes apply drastic environmental forcing onto Arctic marine ecosystems, particularly through ocean warming, sea-ice shrinkage and enhanced pollution. To test impacts on arctic marine ecological functioning, we used a 12-year integrative study of little auks (Alle alle), the most abundant seabird in the Atlantic Arctic. We monitored the foraging ecology, reproduction, survival and body condition of breeding birds, and we tested linkages between these biological variables and a set of environmental parameters including sea-ice concentration (SIC) and mercury contamination. Little auks showed substantial plasticity in response to SIC, with deeper and longer dives but less time spent underwater and more time flying when SIC decreased. Their diet also contained less lipid-rich ice-associated prey when SIC decreased. Further, in contrast to former studies conducted at the annual scale, little auk fitness proxies were impacted by environmental changes: Adult body condition and chick growth rate were negatively linked to SIC and mercury contamination. However, no trend was found for adult survival despite high inter-annual variability. Our results suggest that potential benefits of milder climatic conditions in East Greenland may be offset by increasing pollution in the Arctic. Overall, our study stresses the importance of long-term studies integrating ecology and ecotoxicology.

Impact of recent and future climate change on vector-borne diseases

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human health in the 21st century. Climate directly impacts health through climatic extremes, air quality, sea-level rise, and multifaceted influences on food production systems and water resources. Climate also affects infectious diseases, which have played a significant role in human history, impacting the rise and fall of civilizations and facilitating the conquest of new territories. Our review highlights significant regional changes in vector and pathogen distribution reported in temperate, peri-Arctic, Arctic, and tropical highland regions during recent decades, changes that have been anticipated by scientists worldwide. Further future changes are likely if we fail to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Many key factors affect the spread and severity of human diseases, including mobility of people, animals, and goods; control measures in place; availability of effective drugs; quality of public health services; human behavior; and political stability and conflicts. With drug and insecticide resistance on the rise, significant funding and research efforts must to be maintained to continue the battle against existing and emerging diseases, particularly those that are vector borne.

The impact of water crises and climate changes on the transmission of protozoan parasites in Africa

Waterborne protozoa (WBP) are important cause of several outbreaks all over the world. The report system of WBP in Africa is weak. More than one third of African countries (21/54) reported WBP with absent reports in the remaining countries (33/54). The top reported WBP were Cryptosporidium, Giardia, FLA and Entamoeba contaminating different African water resources. Other protozoa were less documented even though it is abundant and robust. More than one protozoa were detected in contaminated African water including drinking sources, a prediction index to popular epidemics and real presence of undocumented WBP outbreaks. Risk factors in Africa were observed to be abundant and multi-factorial 'socioeconomic, governmental, pathogen in water and climate change. Climate change is an important factor impacting Africa. Increasing droughts in Africa with other extreme weather events will lead to water crises. Incidence and transmission of WBP will change, with new manifested strains/species. Recognizing future consequences of water crises in Africa are important. Governments and population unity will be needed to protect against expected raise and spread of WBP diseases and water shortages.