Sea temperature and pollution are associated with infectious disease mortality in short-beaked common dolphins

Williams, Rosie S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1801-8092; Curnick, David J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1282; Baillie, Andrew; Barber, Jonathan L.; Barnett, James; Brownlow, Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9885-7480; Deaville, Robert; Davison, Nicholas J.; ten Doeschate, Mariel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9377-1282; Jepson, Paul D.; Murphy, Sinéad; Penrose, Rod; Perkins, Matthew; Spiro, Simon; Williams, Ruth; Williamson, Michael J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9681-8920; Cunningham, Andrew A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3543-6504; Johnson, Andrew C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1570-3764. 2025 Sea temperature and pollution are associated with infectious disease mortality in short-beaked common dolphins. Communications Biology, 8, 557. 12, pp. 10.1038/s42003-025-07858-7

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Abstract/Summary

The concurrent pressures of climate change and chemical pollution, often studied in isolation, have been linked to increases in infectious disease that threaten biodiversity. Understanding their interconnected nature is vital, as the impacts of climate-mediated environmental changes can be exacerbated by chemical pollution and vice versa. Using data from 836 UK-stranded short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) (n = 153 (analysed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) blubber concentrations)) necropsied between 1990 and 2020, we show that PCB concentrations and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are associated with an increased risk of infectious disease mortality. Specifically, a 1 mg/kg lipid increase in PCB concentration correlates with a 1.6% increase in disease mortality risk, while a 1 °C rise in SST corresponds to a 14% increase. Additionally, we derived a novel PCB threshold concentration (22 mg/kg lipid), defined as the level where PCB blubber concentrations are significantly associated with infectious disease mortality risk. International efforts to reduce carbon emissions have mostly failed, and despite regulatory efforts, PCBs remain a significant threat. We demonstrate the urgent need for conservation strategies that address both risk factors simultaneously to protect marine biodiversity.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s42003-025-07858-7
Groups/Sections (CEH only):	Environmental Pressures and Responses (2025-)
ISSN:	2399-3642
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	climate-change ecology, ecological epidemiology
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Marine Sciences Data and Information
Related URLs:	Dataset Code
Date made live:	22 Apr 2025 13:11 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539289

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