Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota
Abstract Climate change has rapidly altered many ecosystems, with detrimental effects for biodiversity across the globe. In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that the microorganisms that live in and on animals can substantially affect host health and physiology, and the structure and...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Microbial Biotechnology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14276 |
| _version_ | 1797739388715663360 |
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| author | Claire E. Williams Candace L. Williams Michael L. Logan |
| author_facet | Claire E. Williams Candace L. Williams Michael L. Logan |
| author_sort | Claire E. Williams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Climate change has rapidly altered many ecosystems, with detrimental effects for biodiversity across the globe. In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that the microorganisms that live in and on animals can substantially affect host health and physiology, and the structure and function of these microbial communities can be highly sensitive to environmental variables. To date, most studies have focused on the effects of increasing mean temperature on gut microbiota, yet other aspects of climate are also shifting, including temperature variation, seasonal dynamics, precipitation and the frequency of severe weather events. This array of environmental pressures might interact in complex and non‐intuitive ways to impact gut microbiota and consequently alter animal fitness. Therefore, understanding the impacts of climate change on animals requires a consideration of multiple types of environmental stressors and their interactive effects on gut microbiota. Here, we present an overview of some of the major findings in research on climatic effects on microbial communities in the animal gut. Although ample evidence has now accumulated that shifts in mean temperature can have important effects on gut microbiota and their hosts, much less work has been conducted on the effects of other climatic variables and their interactions. We provide recommendations for additional research needed to mechanistically link climate change with shifts in animal gut microbiota and host fitness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:56:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-18c94f6930544c1dbbc53299286bca59 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-7915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:56:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbial Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-18c94f6930544c1dbbc53299286bca592023-08-22T12:37:59ZengWileyMicrobial Biotechnology1751-79152023-09-011691736174410.1111/1751-7915.14276Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiotaClaire E. Williams0Candace L. Williams1Michael L. Logan2University of Nevada Reno Nevada USASan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance San Diego California USAUniversity of Nevada Reno Nevada USAAbstract Climate change has rapidly altered many ecosystems, with detrimental effects for biodiversity across the globe. In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that the microorganisms that live in and on animals can substantially affect host health and physiology, and the structure and function of these microbial communities can be highly sensitive to environmental variables. To date, most studies have focused on the effects of increasing mean temperature on gut microbiota, yet other aspects of climate are also shifting, including temperature variation, seasonal dynamics, precipitation and the frequency of severe weather events. This array of environmental pressures might interact in complex and non‐intuitive ways to impact gut microbiota and consequently alter animal fitness. Therefore, understanding the impacts of climate change on animals requires a consideration of multiple types of environmental stressors and their interactive effects on gut microbiota. Here, we present an overview of some of the major findings in research on climatic effects on microbial communities in the animal gut. Although ample evidence has now accumulated that shifts in mean temperature can have important effects on gut microbiota and their hosts, much less work has been conducted on the effects of other climatic variables and their interactions. We provide recommendations for additional research needed to mechanistically link climate change with shifts in animal gut microbiota and host fitness.https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14276 |
| spellingShingle | Claire E. Williams Candace L. Williams Michael L. Logan Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota Microbial Biotechnology |
| title | Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota |
| title_full | Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota |
| title_fullStr | Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota |
| title_short | Climate change is not just global warming: Multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota |
| title_sort | climate change is not just global warming multidimensional impacts on animal gut microbiota |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14276 |
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