The impact of pollution on pathogen prevalence and host infection resistance in the Arctic black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)

As the warming climate alters the dynamics of disease in northern ecosystems, evidence suggests that pathogens are spreading into Arctic populations where they were previously unseen. Increasing viral diversity (virodiversity) may also allow for the emergence of new diseases, while immunomodulatory contaminants present in northern environments may limit the ability of hosts to respond to these threats. This study aims to investigate the possible synergistic effects of climate change and pollution on the abundance and diversity of pathogens in Arctic birds, as well as the hosts ability to resist infection.