Climate change and its influence on aquatic parasite-host interactions

Aquatic parasitology is undergoing significant transformation due to the pervasive effects of climate change on marine and freshwater environments. Global shifts in temperature, precipitation patterns, and chemical composition of water bodies are altering ecosystems, profoundly impacting the delicate balance between parasites and their aquatic hosts. Historically, the distribution, prevalence, and diversity of parasites were largely governed by relatively stable environmental parameters. Recent research, however, points to accelerating changes in disease emergence, shifts in parasite-host ranges, and unpredictable fluctuations in infection rates across fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. This evolving landscape has placed significant stress on biodiversity, fisheries productivity, and aquaculture sustainability, with broader repercussions for human health and ecosystem resilience.

Despite growing recognition of the link between climate change and changes in parasitic dynamics, there remain critical questions about the mechanisms underpinning these interactions. Notably, the ways in which climate-induced stressors—such as elevated temperatures or altered salinity—affect host immunity, alter the life cycles and transmission modes of parasites, and drive the emergence of new or resurgent diseases are not fully understood. While a number of recent studies have documented shifts in parasite distribution and increased incidence of disease outbreaks, gaps persist in our knowledge of causative pathways and in predictive models that could inform mitigation strategies. Research efforts are thus converging on interdisciplinary, integrative approaches to unravel these complex relationships and anticipate emerging threats to aquatic health.

This Research Topic aims to clarify how climate change is shaping the interactions between aquatic parasites and their hosts, and to stimulate innovative research that can inform monitoring, prediction, and management strategies. The principal objectives are to explore the influence of environmental change on host susceptibility, parasite transmission dynamics, and disease emergence in both natural and managed aquatic systems. Key questions include understanding the physiological and ecological mechanisms driving changes in host-parasite dynamics and identifying effective interventions to preserve biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem services in an era of rapid environmental change.

To gather further insights in the boundaries and impacts of aquatic parasite-host relationships under climate change, we welcome contributions focusing on both marine and freshwater systems, while emphasizing parasitological contexts. We invite articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Shifts in the geographic distribution and diversity of aquatic parasites in response to climate variables
- Mechanisms by which climate change affects host immunity and susceptibility to parasitic infections
- Climate influences on parasite life cycle development, viability, and modes of transmission
- Development, assessment, and implementation of adaptive management and mitigation strategies to reduce parasitic threats in changing aquatic environments

All article types, including original research, reviews, perspectives, and case studies, are welcome.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: climate change, aquatic ecosystems, parasite-host dynamics, parasitic diseases, marine parasitology, freshwater parasites, host immunity, disease emergence, biodiversity, transmission pathways, aquaculture health, ecological impacts, adaptation strategies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.