Arctic meltdown could unleash ‘explosion of viruses’ trapped in ice

Climate change in the Canadian Arctic archipelago is bringing together viruses and their potential hosts, according to research published recently in the journal Nature. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Every new interaction between the two “viral epidemic”, i.e. increases the risk of transmission of pathogens to different hosts. And every case of spread is an opportunity for a virus to become much more dangerous.

Viruses depend on their hosts to reproduce and spread. However, most viruses co-evolve with the organisms that support them so that hosts develop defenses against the effects of the viruses they host. But when an epidemic occurs in which a virus jumps from one way of life to another, hosts still don’t have enhanced immunity to protect them. As with the Covid-19 pandemic, the results can be disastrous when a virus first spreads to a new host.

In a lake fed by glaciers in the Arctic, increased meltwater means there will be a higher chance of viral outbreaks, cites the newly published study. The researchers took sediment samples from Lake Hazen and sequenced the RNA of the viruses and the DNA of the animals, plants and fungi in it.

The scientists found that in areas of the lake where glacial melting was highest, there was less evolutionary coexistence between viruses and potential host organisms, providing more opportunities for unfortunate interbreeding. Also, climate change is only increasing melting in almost all places on Earth where there are glaciers.

Glaciers, virus stores

Glaciers are formed from ancient ice. Because they were formed thousands or tens of thousands of years ago (or even a million years ago), sBy trapping organic materials, rocks, as well as pathogens within, they became a kind of time capsule of their environment.

And as glaciers (or permafrost) melt due to climate change, they’re releasing their trapped elements.

“This is further proof that climate change is causing more problems.”said Stéphane Aris-Brosou, lead author of the study and a computational biologist at the University of Ottawa. The researcher said he was surprised to find this relationship between melting glaciers and the risk of viral outbreaks. Like this, It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new pandemic virus emerge from melting glaciers, “Whether it is a fungus, a plant, or an animal,” he added.

“We don’t anticipate the next pandemic,” said Aris-Brosou, however. This study of lake sediments is not a crystal ball. “We don’t predict when, where, on which host, or which virus will cause the next pandemic, none of that,” he warned.

An epidemic does not necessarily mean a pandemic will occur, as the vast majority of viruses do not infect humans. Furthermore, Aris-Brosou and colleagues did not identify specific viruses found in glacial sediment or document their migration from host to host. Instead, they assessed that glacial melt had caused various genetic evolutions to mingle in Lake Hazen.

Previous research has found that climate change causes other natural changes, such as forcing animals to live in different habitats to adapt to new temperatures. But the new study is the first to measure transmission risk by sequencing all genetic data found in an environment, according to the study authors. “To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to evaluate the entire virosphere of DNA and RNA viruses and their ability to spread,” they say.

Because this is a new approach, Aris-Brosou noted that there are major limitations to his findings. The researchers were able to determine that the risk of spread is increased by glacial melt in the lake’s sediments, but they have yet to quantify the intensity of the viral spread risk in Lake Hazen compared to other parts of the world.

Also, because they sequenced such a wide array of genetic information, their findings lack specificity. Currently, scientists cannot say exactly which viruses are lurking at the bottom of the lake, or even how many of them are still contagious.. But scientists have already started follow-up studies to be more precise in their research. Aris-Brosou hopes to determine how relevant the viruses found in Canada are to existing pathogens and whether any are new to science.

By burning fossil fuels, Humanity is changing all aspects of the planet, including interactions between viruses and life at the bottom of glacial lakes.. “We are the main drivers of this situation,” Aris-Brosou said, “and we need to think carefully about how we manage our lives.” Otherwise, the increased risk of transmission and new pandemics are a very real outcome for the near future.

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Environment department contact address:crisclimatica@prensaiberica.es