Pulse Heat Stress and Parasitism in a Warming World. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Claar, Danielle C.; Wood, Chelsea L.
• Is Part Of: Trends in ecology & evolution. Volume 35:Number 8(2020)
• Page Start: 704
• Page End: 715
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: disease -- parasite -- pulse warming -- El Niño -- climate change; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution (Biology) -- Periodicals; 576.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.04.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0169-5347

Abstract

Abstract : Infectious disease outbreaks emerged across the globe during the recent 2015–2016 El Niño event, re-igniting research interest in how climate events influence disease dynamics. While the relationship between long-term warming and the transmission of disease-causing parasites has received substantial attention, we do not yet know how pulse heat events – common phenomena in a warming world – will alter parasite transmission. The effects of pulse warming on ecological and evolutionary processes are complex and context dependent, motivating research to understand how climate oscillations drive host health and disease. Here, we develop a framework for evaluating and predicting the effects of pulse warming on parasitic infection. Specifically, we synthesize how pulse heat stress affects hosts, parasites, and the ecological interactions between them. Highlights: Global change affects ecosystems not only by gradual warming, but also by pulse heat stress events that can occur over shorter timescales. Recent increases in the frequency and magnitude of pulse warming events, coupled with apparent links between parasite transmission and temperature, make it urgent that we understand how pulse heat stress influences parasitism. Pulse and gradual warming affect parasitism in fundamentally different ways, because pulse warming generally occurs on physiological timescales, while gradual warming occurs on evolutionary timescales. We present a framework for understanding the effects of pulse heat stress on the interactions between hosts and parasites.