Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Many arctic mammals are adapted to live year-round in extreme environments with low winter temperatures and great seasonal variations in key variables (e.g. sunlight, food, temperature, moisture). The interaction between hosts and pathogens in high northern latit...

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Main Authors: O'Hara Todd M, Hueffer Karsten, Follmann Erich H
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2011-03-01
Series:Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
Online Access:http://www.actavetscand.com/content/53/1/17
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spelling doaj-f7bd8c9abd964e6fa5d8ce946d5397c12020-11-24T23:53:12ZengBMCActa Veterinaria Scandinavica1751-01472011-03-015311710.1186/1751-0147-53-17Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environmentO'Hara Todd MHueffer KarstenFollmann Erich H<p>Abstract</p> <p>Many arctic mammals are adapted to live year-round in extreme environments with low winter temperatures and great seasonal variations in key variables (e.g. sunlight, food, temperature, moisture). The interaction between hosts and pathogens in high northern latitudes is not very well understood with respect to intra-annual cycles (seasons). The annual cycles of interacting pathogen and host biology is regulated in part by highly synchronized temperature and photoperiod changes during seasonal transitions (e.g., freezeup and breakup). With a warming climate, only one of these key biological cues will undergo drastic changes, while the other will remain fixed. This uncoupling can theoretically have drastic consequences on host-pathogen interactions. These poorly understood cues together with a changing climate by itself will challenge host populations that are adapted to pathogens under the historic and current climate regime. We will review adaptations of both host and pathogens to the extreme conditions at high latitudes and explore some potential consequences of rapid changes in the Arctic.</p> http://www.actavetscand.com/content/53/1/17
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author O'Hara Todd M
Hueffer Karsten
Follmann Erich H
spellingShingle O'Hara Todd M
Hueffer Karsten
Follmann Erich H
Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
author_facet O'Hara Todd M
Hueffer Karsten
Follmann Erich H
author_sort O'Hara Todd M
title Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
title_short Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
title_full Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
title_fullStr Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
title_full_unstemmed Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
title_sort adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment
publisher BMC
series Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
issn 1751-0147
publishDate 2011-03-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Many arctic mammals are adapted to live year-round in extreme environments with low winter temperatures and great seasonal variations in key variables (e.g. sunlight, food, temperature, moisture). The interaction between hosts and pathogens in high northern latitudes is not very well understood with respect to intra-annual cycles (seasons). The annual cycles of interacting pathogen and host biology is regulated in part by highly synchronized temperature and photoperiod changes during seasonal transitions (e.g., freezeup and breakup). With a warming climate, only one of these key biological cues will undergo drastic changes, while the other will remain fixed. This uncoupling can theoretically have drastic consequences on host-pathogen interactions. These poorly understood cues together with a changing climate by itself will challenge host populations that are adapted to pathogens under the historic and current climate regime. We will review adaptations of both host and pathogens to the extreme conditions at high latitudes and explore some potential consequences of rapid changes in the Arctic.</p>
url http://www.actavetscand.com/content/53/1/17
work_keys_str_mv AT oharatoddm adaptationofmammalianhostpathogeninteractionsinachangingarcticenvironment
AT huefferkarsten adaptationofmammalianhostpathogeninteractionsinachangingarcticenvironment
AT follmannerichh adaptationofmammalianhostpathogeninteractionsinachangingarcticenvironment
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