A research team from the University of Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) leads an international study examining how venomous species respond when ecosystems shift due to climate change and how these changes might push their ranges into new territories, including urban areas. The study explores whether some species could spread beyond their known habitats into cities and other previously untouched places.
Researchers note that venomous species depend on their physiology to survive, which means they can only thrive in regions that provide adequate climate for ongoing survival and reproduction. This principle holds true for venomous animals as well, said URJC professor Miguel A. Olalla-Tárraga.
Within this framework, the team advances a central hypothesis: climate changes in the coming decades are likely to significantly alter the distribution of venomous species. Some populations may shrink, while others could expand their geographic reach.
There is a concern that many species might reduce their range or even face extinction, potentially diminishing their ecological role in pest control by reducing predators that help manage rodent populations. This concern was voiced by Olalla-Tárraga in discussing the broader ecological consequences of shifting climates.
The study, recently published in Global Change Biology, highlights the African venomous snake Rhina endseems as a case study for adaptation to arid environments. This example serves to illustrate how some species may adjust to new climatic realities and alter their geographic footprint.
Based on mathematical models, the researchers predict that future conditions could create extensive regions with suitable climates for this species to persist, potentially enabling its expansion into new territories.
These climatic shifts could introduce new public health challenges. The researchers contend that venomous species may reach countries where they are currently rare or absent, including regions of West Africa such as Guinea-Bissau, Niger, or Senegal, depending on future environmental changes and human activity.
They can be placed in cities
URJC researcher Dr. Talita F. Amado notes that some venomous species might even adapt to urban environments. In parts of South America, several species have already become accustomed to city life, contributing to numerous incidents involving children in urban settings.
The venom produced by these species also has a potential role in modern medicine, contributing to research on treatments for a range of conditions including arthritis, thrombosis, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The loss of species would mean the loss of invaluable toxins that could spur the development of new therapies.
Yet not all species will fare poorly; some are expected to broaden their distributions as climates change, according to another study contributor, Professor Pablo A. Martinez of the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS) in Brazil. He cautions that human activities will create new pressures on conservation, public health, and food security as ecosystems respond to climate shifts.
The ongoing pace of climate change and related ecosystem transformations will bring effects that are not yet fully understood, including potential changes in the incidence of envenomation. This is a major public health issue in many regions, as noted by toxologist José M. Gutiérrez.
Efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and curb deforestation are essential to slowing species loss and mitigating zoonotic risks and harmful interactions between humans and venomous species. The research emphasizes a need for greater interdisciplinarity among ecologists, toxicologists, and public health professionals, with strong community engagement to anticipate changes and implement preventive measures.
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