Without bacteria and viruses, no animal would be alive. Although there are many that can cause diseases, several of which can be fatal, the reality is that there are many more that help the host to have good health. In fact, not even the human being could survive without the 2000 species of bacteria that live inside it.
However global warming affects everyone, including the intestinal flora, according to a study published in the journal 'Nature Ecology and Evolution'.
The intestinal flora or microbiota is that composed of bacteria that live in the intestine that maintain a symbiotic relationship, both commensal and mutualistic with their host. Inside him, can develop and multiply in an environment that is about 2 degrees Celsius warmer than outside.
However, it is known that it can be altered by a series of intrinsic factors (intestinal secretions) and extrinsic (such as aging, stress, medications the host takes, and the type of diet followed). But now there is also a new factor: global warming, which according to the study can destroy it.
To reach this conclusion, the researchers have conducted a study with lizards in a facility called Metatron, where they have been able to control the temperature and see how the animals reacted, as well as their intestinal flora. In this way, were able to verify that an environment with temperatures 2 to 3ºC higher than the current, which is what is expected to be by the end of the century, the diversity of gut microbial life had been reduced by 34% in just one year.
Consequently, lizards had a shorter life expectancy than those of others that were not subjected to simulated climatic pressure, which gives a lot to think about, as experts say that these problems could be found in many other species.
You can read the study here (In English).