A warming climate could mean some Arctic animals will be more vulnerable to parasites and disease-causing pathogens, says a researcher who studies diseases transmitted from insects to animals.

While there are still more questions than answers on the topic, the changing climate could have a dramatic impact on the transmission of disease in Arctic wildlife — partly because many disease-causing pathogens are spread by insects, which tend to do better in warmer conditions — said Kayla Buhler, a veterinary researcher at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

“We see increases in temperature, as well as we’re seeing changes in precipitation up north,” said Buhler. “Those two