Theme 3.1 Monitoring climate-related changes and adaptation strategies
As the terrestrial realms of the Arctic thaw with climate change, populations of relative southern infectious diseases carried by vector organisms such as ticks and mosquitoes may migrate, expand and/or in other ways respond to the resulting landscape transitions, and transmit onto humans and animals of the far North. To identify climate sensitive infections (CSI’s), data concerning a selection of human infections were procured from national health reporting systems to cover the current thirty-year climate reference period across northern Eurasia. Eight infections were chosen to represent different transmission processes, including borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Inferential results indicate that 88% (7/8) of these infections are changing systematically with respect to incidence levels and/or geographic distribution, at local or regional scales within the study area, and that they therefore should be considered as being potentially climate sensitive. It is hence likely that many northern societies will experience changing CSI exposure.
While there is mounting evidence that insect populations are declining globally, monitoring data remains scarce. In particular data on the status and trends of insect populations in Nordic Arctic is heavily lacking. Our Interreg-funded multidisciplinary research is currently developing a harmonized insect monitoring scheme for northern Fennoscandia for monitoring target groups of blood-feeding insects, among them mosquitoes. The monitoring also seeks to improve detection of potential invasive alien species threatening human health. The project combines quantitative ecology with qualitative ethnographic research, considering the socio-cultural significance of mosquitoes by integrating study of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and human-insect relationships in Lapland. Our talk discusses both ecological and anthropological aspects of monitoring to consider insect-related disease threats in the Arctic. We also discuss how TEK can contribute to broader scientific understanding of mosquitoes, and relevant ethical aspects of conducting such research in the Finnish Arctic.
Climate change is disproportionately impacting transmission of food- and vector-borne pathogens, especially in the Canadian Arctic with an observed average warming trend approaching 3°C since 1948. We present work on zoonotic California serogroup arboviruses, demonstrating widespread exposure in free ranging caribou, the most likely reservoir host for Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), and an increase in exposure in archived polar bear sera since the 1980s. We also report the first description of JCV in mosquitoes in Greenland, indicating a broad Nearctic distribution. The foodborne parasite Toxoplasma gondii has higher human seroprevalence in the Canadian Arctic than expected given the low density of felid hosts. We present work demonstrating the utility of arctic fox as a sentinel for human exposure to T. gondii, and of polar bears as sentinels for increasing exposure to T. gondii with more time spent on land during warmer and wetter summers in the western Canadian Arctic.
Greenland occupies a central position in the Arctic, linking ecosystems, wildlife, domestic animals, and Indigenous communities. Close interactions between humans and animals through hunting, fishing, and dog keeping create multiple interfaces for zoonotic pathogen exposure. Despite this, systematic surveillance of infectious diseases in Greenland is limited to selected human pathogens, while monitoring in animals, vectors and the environment remains mainly confined to time-limited research activities.
Climate-driven ecological changes, together with increased tourism, call for updated and more integrated surveillance systems. However, surveillance development is constrained by logistical challenges related to geography, infrastructure, and limited local capacity. A future surveillance system may draw on models from other regions but must be grounded in local priorities and informed by Indigenous knowledge and community-based monitoring initiatives to ensure relevance and sustainability.
Strengthening zoonotic pathogen surveillance in Greenland is essential for local preparedness and for harmonised pan-Arctic early warning and monitoring efforts.
A global outbreak of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is causing unprecedented mortality in domestic and wild animals, including species in Arctic and Antarctic regions. The Polarflu project aims to improve our understanding of how H5 HPAI virus spreads and affects Arctic and Antarctic wildlife, which are so far understudied. We will investigate four key questions: (1) the spatial spread of H5 HPAI, (2) its temporal and spatial evolution, (3) its impact on population decline, and (4) the roles of bird species as reservoirs or vectors. This will provide insights into how the H5 HPAI virus spreads and evolves in wild bird populations in these regions. It also will help to protect wildlife in these areas, assess the potential risks to domestic animals and human health from the virus currently circulating in these remote environments, and understanding the potential for it to spread back into more densely populated areas.
Climate change in the Arctic is driving rapid environmental transformations that directly affect wildlife health, animal migration patterns, and human-wildlife interactions. These changes increase the likelihood of emergence, transmission, and spread of zoonotic diseases—those that can pass from animals to humans. Despite this growing threat, there is currently no standardized or coordinated methodology for monitoring zoonotic diseases in Arctic ecosystems.
This session will explore the current state of knowledge and practice regarding zoonotic diseases in Arctic regions and work toward the development of methodological recommendations to inform coordinated monitoring across national and regional boundaries. In particular:
Linking zoonotic risks to climate-driven ecological shifts
Integrating Indigenous knowledge and community-based monitoring
Identifying sentinel species and priority pathogens
Leveraging new technologies for early detection and surveillance
Addressing ethical, logistical, and governance challenges
The session will also highlight AMAP’s ongoing initiative to develop recommendations for Arctic zoonotic disease monitoring methodologies, providing an opportunity for stakeholders and experts to contribute to this process.
Desired Outcomes:
Exchange of knowledge between researchers, Indigenous experts, and public health practitioners
Case studies of successful monitoring efforts and identified gaps
A draft outline of key components and principles for zoonotic disease monitoring methodologies
Networking and collaboration opportunities for ongoing AMAP effort
Session Format:
Presentations, ideally followed by a structured roundtable discussion. Contributions from Indigenous representatives, Arctic public health authorities, wildlife health researchers, and environmental monitoring experts will be prioritized.
Target:
Researchers in Arctic health and ecology, public health professionals, Indigenous organizations, wildlife monitoring experts, policy-makers, and international environmental organizations.