| Global warming harbinger | |
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Spreading disease |
North America
Ecologists have identified the first genetic adaptation to global warming in the North American mosquito Wyeomyia smithii. Modern mosquitoes wait nine days more than their ancestors did 30 years ago before they begin their winter dormancy, with warmer autumns being the most likely cause. Higher temperatures, enhancing mosquito survival rates, population growth and biting rates, can increase the risk of disease transmission.
Reference: Bradshaw, W.E. and C.M. Holzapfel, 2001. Genetic shift in photoperiodic response correlated to global warming. Proceedings of the National Academies of Science http://www.pnas.org, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.241391498 (see also: http://www.nature.com/nsu/nsu_pf/011108/011108-6.html).
Gubler, D.J., P. Reiter, K.L. Ebi, W. Yap, R. Nasci and J.A. Patz, 2001. Climate variability and change in the United States: Potential impacts on vector- and rodent-borne disease. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109, Supplement 2: 223-233.
