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Cited by 693Parasite Biology and Host InteractionsEcology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesZoonotic diseases and public health

Ecology Drives the Worldwide Distribution of Human Diseases

Open access
Guernier, Vanina, Hochberg, Michael E, Guégan, Jean-François·2004·PLoS Biology
DOI 10.1371/journal.pbio.0020141PMC PMC423130
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Abstract

Identifying the factors underlying the origin and maintenance of the latitudinal diversity gradient is a central problem in ecology, but no consensus has emerged on which processes might generate this broad pattern. Interestingly, the vast majority of studies exploring the gradient have focused on free-living organisms, ignoring parasitic and infectious disease (PID) species. Here, we address the influence of environmental factors on the biological diversity of human pathogens and their global spatial organization. Using generalized linear multivariate models and Monte Carlo simulations, we conducted a series of comparative analyses to test the hypothesis that human PIDs exhibit the same global patterns of distribution as other taxonomic groups. We found a significant negative relationship between latitude and PID species richness, and a nested spatial organization, i.e., the accumulation of PID species with latitude, over large spatial scales. Additionally, our results show that climatic factors are of primary importance in explaining the link between latitude and the spatial pattern of human pathogens. Based on our findings, we propose that the global latitudinal species diversity gradient might be generated in large part by biotic interactions, providing strong support for the idea that current estimates of species diversity are substantially underestimated. When parasites and pathogens are included, estimates of total species diversity may increase by more than an order of magnitude.

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Parasite-stress is not the same across the globe nor has it been the same across time.

    “Parasite-stress is not the same across the globe nor has it been the same across time.”

    From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Guernier et al. 2004

    The Results section (page unavailable) shows that human pathogen species richness varies geographically, increasing from polar regions toward the equator. The Discussion (page unavailable) suggests that climate change could alter future distributions, but it does not establish that parasite stress has differed across historical periods. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Mediterranean countries have greater levels of parasite-stress than Western European countries.

    “Mediterranean countries have greater levels of parasitestress than Western European countries (Fincher & Thornhill 2008b; Guernier et al. 2004).”

    From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Guernier et al. 2004

    The Results section ('The Latitudinal Gradient of Species Richness for Pathogens'; page unavailable) reports that human pathogen species richness generally increases toward lower latitudes, which is consistent with the proposed comparison. It does not compare Mediterranean with Western European countries specifically, and its measure is pathogen species richness rather than parasite-stress levels. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Authors
Guernier, V., Hochberg, M. E., & Guégan, J.-F.
Affiliations
  • Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
Corresponding author
Guernier, Vanina
ORCID
Venue
PLoS Biology
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2004-06-15
Volume
2
Issue
6
Pages
e141
ISSN
  • 1544-9173 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-7885
DOI
10.1371/journal.pbio.0020141
PMC
PMC423130
OpenAlex
W1967494040
Cited by
693
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 50 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 36
FWCI
23.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Own your potential (DEAKIN) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de l'Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
  • University of California, Santa Barbara
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Zoonotic diseases and public health
Keywords
latitudinal diversity gradient, human pathogens, species richness, climatic factors, species interactions
MeSH terms
Climate, Communicable Diseases, Demography, Ecology, Environment, Geography, Humans, Monte Carlo Method, Parasitic Diseases, Multivariate Analysis, Linear Models, Biodiversity

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