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and cases of food poisoning from salmonella could lead to increases in future cases,
but future estimates need to be considered in the light of successes in interventions
that have led to a low incidence rate in recent years. While the picture for salmonella
is one of relative control and decline, this is not true for all intestinal infectious
diseases and sometimes knowledge of climatic responses is insufficient to make full
assessments (Lake 2017).
• Pollens and other allergens
Changing human behaviour is also a factor in terms of the extent to which expo-
sures are changed due to a changing climate, something that is likely to affect a
range of other stressors. These issues are discussed in more detail in Damialis et
al.
(Chap. 3, this volume).
• Drought and water scarcity
The availability of, and access to, water resources is a basic human need and one
that is inextricably linked with physical health. Climate change is known to be mod-
ifying the cryosphere and affecting fresh water resources (European Environment
Agency 2017). Although not the only determinant of water scarcity – where much
is driven by socio-political factors and other issues such as water quality and distri-
bution
– no account of climate change and physical health would be complete with-
out recognising the essential associations between water and other aspects of health.
• Wildfires and health
Climate change influences the likelihood and severity of wildfires as a result of
extending the ‘fire season’, the higher susceptibility of vegetation to burn when
coming in contact with ignition sources (e.g. due to being water stressed) and the
greater likelihood of spread due to the potential for increased growth rates (European
Environment Agency 2017; Carporn and Emmett 2009). In the United States it has
been estimated that annual respiratory hospital admissions ranged from 5200 to
8500 and cardiovascular hospital admissions from 1500 to 2500 between 2008 and
2012 due to PM2.5 associated with wildland fires (Fann et al. 2018).
Although not an exhaustive list, a considerable number of the themes above are
clearly related to ecosystems. Climate change is recognised as one of the main pres-
sures on ecosystems, alongside habitat change and fragmentation, invasive species,
land management changes and pollution (European Environment Agency 2017).
Climate induced changes have been observed in all land (e.g. changes in species
ranges and phenological responses), freshwater (e.g. changes in flow, also related to
changes in human extraction rates which are partly climate-related) and marine eco-
systems (e.g. changes in species ranges, acidification and sea level rise) (ibid.).
Agricultural systems can see both benefits and stresses, the former in terms of
increased opportunities through extension of the growing season and the potential
for enhanced photosynthesis, but also tempered with the potential for climate
extremes, irrigation demand and availability, increased incidence and new emer-
gence of pests and diseases, and unintended consequences resulting from changes
to farming practices
(European Environment Agency 2017; Bonebrake et
al. 2018).
2 Biodiversity, Physical Health and Climate Change: A Synthesis of Recent Evidence
Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change
- Titel
- Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change
- Autoren
- Melissa Marselle
- Jutta Stadler
- Horst Korn
- Katherine Irvine
- Aletta Bonn
- Verlag
- Springer Open
- Datum
- 2019
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-030-02318-8
- Abmessungen
- 15.5 x 24.0 cm
- Seiten
- 508
- Schlagwörter
- Environment, Environmental health, Applied ecology, Climate change, Biodiversity, Public health, Regional planning, Urban planning
- Kategorien
- Naturwissenschaften Umwelt und Klima