The macroecology of infectious diseases: a new perspective on global-scale drivers of pathogen distributions and impacts

Patrick R. Stephens; Sonia Altizer; Katherine F. Smith; A. Alonso Aguirre; James H. Brown; Sarah A. Budischak; James E. Byers; Tad A. Dallas; T. Jonathan Davies; John M. Drake; Vanessa O. Ezenwa; Maxwell J. Farrell; John L. Gittleman; Barbara A. Han; Shan Huang; Rebecca A. Hutchinson; Pieter Johnson; Charles L. Nunn; David Onstad; Andrew Park; Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec; John P. Schmidt; Robert Poulin

doi:10.1111/ele.12644

The macroecology of infectious diseases: a new perspective on global-scale drivers of pathogen distributions and impacts

Patrick R. Stephens, Sonia Altizer, Katherine F. Smith, A. Alonso Aguirre, James H. Brown, Sarah A. Budischak, James E. Byers, Tad A. Dallas, T. Jonathan Davies, John M. Drake, Vanessa O. Ezenwa, Maxwell J. Farrell, John L. Gittleman, Barbara A. Han, Shan Huang, Rebecca A. Hutchinson, Pieter Johnson, Charles L. Nunn, David Onstad, Andrew ParkGonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, John P. Schmidt, Robert Poulin

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

96 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Identifying drivers of infectious disease patterns and impacts at the broadest scales of organisation is one of the most crucial challenges for modern science, yet answers to many fundamental questions remain elusive. These include what factors commonly facilitate transmission of pathogens to novel host species, what drives variation in immune investment among host species, and more generally what drives global patterns of parasite diversity and distribution? Here we consider how the perspectives and tools of macroecology, a field that investigates patterns and processes at broad spatial, temporal and taxonomic scales, are expanding scientific understanding of global infectious disease ecology. In particular, emerging approaches are providing new insights about scaling properties across all living taxa, and new strategies for mapping pathogen biodiversity and infection risk. Ultimately, macroecology is establishing a framework to more accurately predict global patterns of infectious disease distribution and emergence.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1159-1171
Number of pages	13
Journal	Ecology Letters
Volume	19
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12644
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Keywords

Biodiversity
conservation
disease ecology
infectious diseases
macroecology
pathogens

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1111/ele.12644

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Stephens, P. R., Altizer, S., Smith, K. F., Alonso Aguirre, A., Brown, J. H., Budischak, S. A., Byers, J. E., Dallas, T. A., Jonathan Davies, T., Drake, J. M., Ezenwa, V. O., Farrell, M. J., Gittleman, J. L., Han, B. A., Huang, S., Hutchinson, R. A., Johnson, P., Nunn, C. L., Onstad, D., ... Poulin, R. (2016). The macroecology of infectious diseases: a new perspective on global-scale drivers of pathogen distributions and impacts. Ecology Letters, 19(9), 1159-1171. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12644

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abstract = "Identifying drivers of infectious disease patterns and impacts at the broadest scales of organisation is one of the most crucial challenges for modern science, yet answers to many fundamental questions remain elusive. These include what factors commonly facilitate transmission of pathogens to novel host species, what drives variation in immune investment among host species, and more generally what drives global patterns of parasite diversity and distribution? Here we consider how the perspectives and tools of macroecology, a field that investigates patterns and processes at broad spatial, temporal and taxonomic scales, are expanding scientific understanding of global infectious disease ecology. In particular, emerging approaches are providing new insights about scaling properties across all living taxa, and new strategies for mapping pathogen biodiversity and infection risk. Ultimately, macroecology is establishing a framework to more accurately predict global patterns of infectious disease distribution and emergence.",

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author = "Stephens, {Patrick R.} and Sonia Altizer and Smith, {Katherine F.} and {Alonso Aguirre}, A. and Brown, {James H.} and Budischak, {Sarah A.} and Byers, {James E.} and Dallas, {Tad A.} and {Jonathan Davies}, T. and Drake, {John M.} and Ezenwa, {Vanessa O.} and Farrell, {Maxwell J.} and Gittleman, {John L.} and Han, {Barbara A.} and Shan Huang and Hutchinson, {Rebecca A.} and Pieter Johnson and Nunn, {Charles L.} and David Onstad and Andrew Park and Vazquez-Prokopec, {Gonzalo M.} and Schmidt, {John P.} and Robert Poulin",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.",

year = "2016",

month = sep,

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doi = "10.1111/ele.12644",

language = "English",

volume = "19",

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Stephens, PR, Altizer, S, Smith, KF, Alonso Aguirre, A, Brown, JH, Budischak, SA, Byers, JE, Dallas, TA, Jonathan Davies, T, Drake, JM, Ezenwa, VO, Farrell, MJ, Gittleman, JL, Han, BA, Huang, S, Hutchinson, RA, Johnson, P, Nunn, CL, Onstad, D, Park, A, Vazquez-Prokopec, GM, Schmidt, JP & Poulin, R 2016, 'The macroecology of infectious diseases: a new perspective on global-scale drivers of pathogen distributions and impacts', Ecology Letters, vol. 19, no. 9, pp. 1159-1171. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12644

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AU - Stephens, Patrick R.

AU - Altizer, Sonia

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AU - Alonso Aguirre, A.

AU - Brown, James H.

AU - Budischak, Sarah A.

AU - Byers, James E.

AU - Dallas, Tad A.

AU - Jonathan Davies, T.

AU - Drake, John M.

AU - Ezenwa, Vanessa O.

AU - Farrell, Maxwell J.

AU - Gittleman, John L.

AU - Han, Barbara A.

AU - Huang, Shan

AU - Hutchinson, Rebecca A.

AU - Johnson, Pieter

AU - Nunn, Charles L.

AU - Onstad, David

AU - Park, Andrew

AU - Vazquez-Prokopec, Gonzalo M.

AU - Schmidt, John P.

AU - Poulin, Robert

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AB - Identifying drivers of infectious disease patterns and impacts at the broadest scales of organisation is one of the most crucial challenges for modern science, yet answers to many fundamental questions remain elusive. These include what factors commonly facilitate transmission of pathogens to novel host species, what drives variation in immune investment among host species, and more generally what drives global patterns of parasite diversity and distribution? Here we consider how the perspectives and tools of macroecology, a field that investigates patterns and processes at broad spatial, temporal and taxonomic scales, are expanding scientific understanding of global infectious disease ecology. In particular, emerging approaches are providing new insights about scaling properties across all living taxa, and new strategies for mapping pathogen biodiversity and infection risk. Ultimately, macroecology is establishing a framework to more accurately predict global patterns of infectious disease distribution and emergence.

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SP - 1159

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The macroecology of infectious diseases: a new perspective on global-scale drivers of pathogen distributions and impacts

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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