HR4RS stamp
Irene Vega / Writing
Different animals have acquired the ability to produce and inject poison. On some occasions, poisonous species, such as snakes, spiders or jellyfish, come into contact with humans or domestic animals, causing accidents that can lead to serious injuries or even death. These accidents occur predominantly in the poorest regions of the planet, causing a large number of deaths around the world or disabilities in working people.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Biogeography and Global Change group of the Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC), the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), in Brazil, and the University of Costa Rica (UCR) has analyzed in a scientific articlerecently published in the magazine Global Change Biology, how climate change affects the survival of these species or how they are adapting to urban environments. "Species tend to be hostages of their own physiology, being able to live only in regions where the right climatic conditions exist to survive and reproduce, and in this the poisonous species are no exception", says Professor Miguel Á. Olalla-Tárraga of the URJC. In this sense, the researchers point out that “it is expected that the climatic changes of the coming decades will have notable effects on the distribution of poisonous species. Many may reduce their distribution area or even become extinct, thus losing species that are very important for pest control, such as rodents, which are one of the main foods of many snakes."
In the study, the authors highlight the case of the African snake rhinoceros bititis, which seems to be adapted to arid environments. Based on mathematical models, they have managed to predict that in the future there will be large regions with adequate climatic conditions for the survival of this species, which may favor its expansion of distribution. These climatic changes could present new challenges for public health, given that, according to the research carried out, the species could reach countries such as Guinea-Bissau, Niger or Senegal, where it is currently not present or is in very low density. "Some poisonous species could even adapt to the urban environment," says Dr. Talita F. Amado, a researcher at the URJC. This is the case of scorpions of the genus Tityus in South America, where various species have adapted to the urban environment, causing thousands of accidents in children in these environments.
The development of new drugs, in danger
The venom of these species is also important in the development of drugs for the most diverse diseases, such as arthritis, thrombosis, coronary problems, diabetes or cancer. Therefore, with the loss of species, very valuable resources are lost, such as poisons and their great potential for the development of the most diverse drugs. "But not all species will be negatively affected by climate change, many may increase their distribution areas," says Professor Pablo A. Martinez of UFS/URJC.
New challenges for conservation, public health and food production
The authors point out that human impacts on the planet will present us with new challenges for conservation, public health and food production. "The profound ongoing climate change and the consequent alterations in ecosystems will have an effect that we do not yet know about in the incidence of poisoning from bites and stings of venomous animals, an essential issue for global public health", comments Professor José M. Gutiérrez, toxinologist at the UCR. The reduction of CO2 emissions and deforestation will be key to avoiding the loss of species, as well as reducing the impact of zoonoses and harmful interactions between humans and poisonous species.
The scientific team proposes that in order to face these challenges, greater interdisciplinarity will be necessary among people who work in ecology, toxinology and public health, with a strong component of community participation in order to anticipate changes and take adequate preventive measures.