Global Climate Change and Avian Physiological Responses

Multiple lines of evidence indicate that global climate has dramatically changed over the past 100 years due to industrial activity, due to increased production of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities. While carbon dioxide levels have oscillated from 250 to 180 ppm every 50,000 years or so for the past 800,000 years, they have rapidly risen to 440 ppm since 1900. As a consequence, average global temperatures have rapidly risen at least 1.5 degrees C. This has caused remarkable changes in other climate factors, all of which directly affect the life cycles of all creatures. This is especially true of birds. Global climate change affects breeding cycles, migratory patterns and all aspects of avian physiology.

The goal of this Research Topic is to provide the historical and most recent perspectives concerning the impacts that global climate change has had on the physiological adaptations of birds to these changes, including effects on daily and seasonal activities, reproduction, migration, range, spread of tropical disease, and other physiological responses to climatic change. The impact of these factors on wild populations as well as agricultural species will be addressed, as well as the economic impacts global climate change may have on zoonotic disease and the poultry industry.

This Research Topic welcomes submissions that include themes such as:
1) light at night
2) migration
3) navigation
4) reproduction
5) zoonoses
6) changes in avian ranges
7) circadian rhythms