Home > Research > Information for Conservationists > Effect of Climate Change on Birds > Section 4.3
The Effect of Climate Change on Birds by David Leech   4.3 Incidence of disease   Climate change may lead to shifts in the rate of reproduction of pathogens, or in the distribution of vectors carrying these pathogens. Epstein (2001) suggested that warm winters and spring droughts may have contributed to the spread of West Nile virus through avian populations in Europe and North America, and that the incidence and distribution of this pathogen was likely to increase if predicted long-term trends towards a general amelioration of the climate in these areas are accurate. Furthermore, if increasing global temperatures lead to reduced rainfall and a higher incidence of drought, individuals may accumulate around limited resources, such as waterholes, increasing the potential rates of pathogen transmission. Rising temperatures may therefore result in an increase in the incidence of disease and a subsequent decrease in survival rates of some species.   Back to ECC Contents

© British Trust for Ornithology
BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU
Tel: +44 (0)1842 750050 Fax: +44 (0)1842 750030 Email: info@bto.org
Registered Charity Number 216652. This page last updated: 31 October, 2007