Costantini David, Messina Simone, Sebastiano Manrico, Marasco Valeria
Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università snc, Viterbo, Italy.
Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Jun;1548(1):66-79. doi: 10.1111/nyas.15355. Epub 2025 May 14.
Conventional physiological research has focused on elucidating the endogenous mechanisms that underly the adaptations of species to life in extreme habitats, such as polar regions or deserts. In this review article, we argue that even habitats that are not considered extremes are facing unpredictable, rapid, and strong modifications due to human activities that expose animals to novel extreme conditions. Thus, physiological research on these animals can offer insight on the role of physiological plasticity in driving their resilience and adaptation. To this end, we discuss how stress physiology (with a particular focus on oxidative stress) has a central role in mediating the interaction between the exposome (measure of all the environmental exposures of an individual in a lifetime) and cellular processes (bio-exposome) in the contexts of relevant extreme anthropogenic changes to the habitat conditions. We also provide concrete examples on the relationship between oxidative stress and the bio-exposome in free-living animals, and how this research can be relevant to human health. Finally, we propose future research directions integrating the bio-exposome and the One Health framework to achieve a holistic understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying individual responses to extreme anthropogenic environmental changes.
传统生理学研究一直致力于阐明物种适应极端栖息地（如极地地区或沙漠）生活的内在机制。在这篇综述文章中，我们认为，即使是那些不被视为极端的栖息地，也因人类活动而面临不可预测、迅速且强烈的改变，这些活动使动物暴露于新的极端条件之下。因此，对这些动物的生理学研究能够为生理可塑性在推动其恢复力和适应能力方面的作用提供见解。为此，我们讨论了应激生理学（特别关注氧化应激）如何在栖息地条件发生相关极端人为变化的背景下，在介导暴露组（个体一生中所有环境暴露的度量）与细胞过程（生物暴露组）之间的相互作用中发挥核心作用。我们还提供了关于自由生活动物氧化应激与生物暴露组之间关系的具体实例，以及这项研究如何与人类健康相关。最后，我们提出了整合生物暴露组和“同一个健康”框架的未来研究方向，以全面理解个体对极端人为环境变化作出反应的近端机制。
