BIOB50H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Muskox, Ectotherm, Nematode
5 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Climate change will alter the distribution of many diseases: example: malaria in the east african highlands. Region was malaria-free previously, it was too cold. A temperature increase in the region now allows the malaria parasite to complete its life cycle, the disease established itself: example: nematode lung worm of muskoxen. The lung worm used to be endemic to the canadian mainland. A warmer climate allowed its expansion and establishment to muskox herds on. The worm continues to expand its range northwards. Many parasites have a free-living life stage, or are transmitted by an ectothermic vector. Thus, climate has a direct effect on their life cycle, even if the final host is an endotherm. Phenological impacts: earlier springs and later falls may allow for a prolonged infection season. Combined with faster parasite growth, thus may lead to an increased number of parasite generations, and thus population growth, in a season.
