Hosts, Parasites, and Pathogens in a Warming World

Global warming is transforming the ecological and evolutionary balance of host–parasite–pathogen systems. Rising temperatures affect the development of parasites and vectors, expand geographic ranges of vectors, and alter host immune responses, leading to the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases across humans, livestock, and wildlife. At the same time, parasitic infections can disrupt host microbiota which may exacerbate heat stress mediated microbial dysbiosis, increasing the susceptibility of hosts to opportunistic pathogens. Greater climate variability is also driving the evolution of parasites and pathogens that can withstand extreme conditions, intensifying disease transmission and drug resistance. Soil ecosystems are equally affected; climate change influences nematode and microbial communities with long-term consequences for soil health, biodiversity, and food security. Yet, parasites are integral to biodiversity and ecosystem stability regulating host populations, structuring food webs, and contributing to ecological balance. Therefore, understanding how warming climates alter these dynamics is crucial to predicting ecosystem resilience and maintaining planetary health.This Research Topic aims to elucidate how climate change reshapes host–parasite–pathogen interactions across ecological and evolutionary scales. It will explore both the adaptive traits emerging in parasites and pathogens under environmental stress, and the ecological consequences of shifting infection patterns in natural and managed systems. Key research questions include: How do elevated temperatures affect parasite transmission cycles, host immunocompetence, and microbiome stability? In what ways do climate-driven pressures influence coevolution, population regulation, and disease ecology? By integrating diverse perspectives, this Topic will strengthen the One Health framework, connecting human, animal, plant, and environmental well-being under global climate change.To gather further insights into how these processes unfold across multiple levels of biological organization, we welcome articles within the scope of Population, Community, and Ecosystem Dynamics that integrate empirical, theoretical, and modelling approaches. Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:• Climate-induced changes in parasite, pathogen and vector lifecycles, transmission, and range shifts• Effects of warming on parasitic and microbial community dynamics in host gut, host immunity, and disease susceptibility• Evolutionary responses of parasites and pathogens to temperature stress and climate variability• Community dynamics of soil helminths and bacteria and their implications for crop productivity and sustainability• Mechanisms of drug, anthelmintic, and insecticide resistance under global climate change• Ecological roles and ecosystem services of parasites in biodiversity maintenance• Multi-omics and integrative approaches to study co-evolutionary host–parasite interactions• One Health perspectives linking population, community, and ecosystem responses to global warming Topic editors: Santiago Merino, DEBRAJ BISWAL Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82318/hosts-parasites-and-pathogens-in-a-warming-world