Human activities have caused sharp increases in atmospheric greenhouse gasses and aerosols, which are very likely causing significant changes in climate. These include increases in the global average temperatures—enhanced over land and in Arctic regions, changes in seasonality, ocean warming, more intense precipitation and alterations to the rainfall patterns—particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics.

Climate and weather are important components of complex ecosystems, and with these changes, the dynamic balance between the living components of ecosystems is often disturbed. Ecosystem instability can result in changes in pathogen prevalence, altered pathogen transmission profiles, and increased host susceptibility. These instabilities can have dramatic affects on the health of humans, livestock, wildlife, and marine systems.

Climate change combined with increased global mobility is resulting in previously unforeseen evolution of newly emerging infectious diseases worldwide, reemergence of diseases previously under control and redistribution of diseases across the planet. This symposium examined the complex relationship between the climate, environment, and infectious diseases. Experts in climate change, climate policy, emerging infectious diseases and public health discussed the relevant and pressing issues that we as a global community face, and possible solutions that can be instituted.

In additional to the multimedia presentations, the following resources may also be useful:

Letcher T. 2009. Climate Change: Observed Impacts on Planet Earth. Elsevier Science, Burlington, MA.

Keusch GT, Pappaioanou M, González MC, et al. eds. 2009. Sustaining Global Surveillance and Response to Emerging Zoonotic Diseases. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

Ostfeld, RS, Keesing F, Eviner VT, eds. 2008. Infectious Disease Ecology: Effects of Ecosystems on Disease and of Disease on Ecosystems. Princeton Unversity Press, Princeton, NJ.

Schmidt G, Wolfe. 2009. Climate Change: Picturing the Science. W.W. Norton & Co.; New York.

Thomson MC, Garcia-Herrera R, Beniston M, eds. 2008. Seasonal Forecasts, Climatic Change and Health. Springer, NY.

Western Bark Beetle Research Group
The mission of the Forest Service R&D's Western Bark Beetle Research Group (WBBRG) is to serve as an ad hoc umbrella organization aimed at fostering communication, and enriching scientific interactions among Forest Service bark beetle researchers in the western U.S.