Emerging diseases in Australian oysters and the challenges of climate change and uncertain futures

Scanes, E; O’Connor, WA; Seymour, JR; Siboni, N; Parker, LM; Ross, PM

Emerging diseases in Australian oysters and the challenges of climate change and uncertain futures

Scanes, E

O’Connor, WA Seymour, JR Siboni, N

Parker, LM Ross, PM

Permalink

Publisher:: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian Zoologist, 2023
Issue Date:: 2023-04-24

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Accepted versionAdobe PDF (307.94 kB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Scanes, E https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7520-3804
dc.contributor.author	O’Connor, WA
dc.contributor.author	Seymour, JR
dc.contributor.author	Siboni, N https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6082-0949
dc.contributor.author	Parker, LM
dc.contributor.author	Ross, PM
dc.date.accessioned	2023-12-05T04:18:29Z
dc.date.available	2023-12-05T04:18:29Z
dc.date.issued	2023-04-24
dc.identifier.citation	Australian Zoologist, 2023
dc.identifier.issn	0067-2238
dc.identifier.issn	2204-2105
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173694
dc.description.abstract	<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p>Oysters are a valuable and iconic seafood, deeply rooted in Australian culture. However, oysters have always been vulnerable to disease, with disease outbreaks leading to mass mortality events that regularly cost the oyster aquaculture industry millions of dollars and affect livelihoods. Notably, there is evidence that climate change is rapidly causing the emergence of new diseases alongside the amplification of impacts of existing diseases. This is because warming, acidification and freshening of coastal and estuarine habitats is affecting the three axes of disease; the host, the external environment and the pathogens. Here we explore how climate change is likely to impact all three axes of disease in Australian oyster aquaculture. Climate change is affecting oyster physiology, leading to weaker immune defences that allow for increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections. For example, there is evidence that recent heavy rain events precede oyster disease in estuaries. In addition, climate change is increasing the abundance and virulence of bacterial and viral pathogens, potentially resulting in the introduction of novel disease into new habitats. In order to remain viable, we suggest that the Australian oyster industry needs to enhance selective breeding programs currently underway with a diversification of products and research on emerging diseases to ensure resilience in the sector.</jats:p>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP210101610
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Zoologist
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.7882/az.2023.015
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0602 Ecology, 0608 Zoology
dc.subject.classification	Ecology
dc.subject.classification	3103 Ecology
dc.subject.classification	3109 Zoology
dc.title	Emerging diseases in Australian oysters and the challenges of climate change and uncertain futures
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.for	0602 Ecology
utslib.for	0608 Zoology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - C3 - Climate Change Cluster
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2023-12-05T04:18:28Z
pubs.publication-status	Published

Abstract:

ABSTRACT Oysters are a valuable and iconic seafood, deeply rooted in Australian culture. However, oysters have always been vulnerable to disease, with disease outbreaks leading to mass mortality events that regularly cost the oyster aquaculture industry millions of dollars and affect livelihoods. Notably, there is evidence that climate change is rapidly causing the emergence of new diseases alongside the amplification of impacts of existing diseases. This is because warming, acidification and freshening of coastal and estuarine habitats is affecting the three axes of disease; the host, the external environment and the pathogens. Here we explore how climate change is likely to impact all three axes of disease in Australian oyster aquaculture. Climate change is affecting oyster physiology, leading to weaker immune defences that allow for increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections. For example, there is evidence that recent heavy rain events precede oyster disease in estuaries. In addition, climate change is increasing the abundance and virulence of bacterial and viral pathogens, potentially resulting in the introduction of novel disease into new habitats. In order to remain viable, we suggest that the Australian oyster industry needs to enhance selective breeding programs currently underway with a diversification of products and research on emerging diseases to ensure resilience in the sector.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173694