Environmental and Nutritional Stress: Metabolic Consequences and Regulatory Strategies in Animals
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 51
Special Issue Editor
Interests: animal metabolic diseases (obesity and fatty liver); biologically active substance and stress regulation; regulation of iron and copper metabolism; oxidative stress; ferroptosis; non-coding RNA; egg quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Stress represents the body’s nonspecific response to diverse external or internal challenges, triggering adaptive physiological changes through the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system. While acute stress promotes survival, chronic exposure disrupts metabolic homeostasis, altering nutrient utilization, gut microbiota composition, and energy balance. A growing body of evidence underscores the interplay between environmental stressors (e.g., climate extremes, pollution) and nutritional stressors (e.g., feed scarcity, imbalanced diets) in driving metabolic dysfunction across species.
Topics of Interest
We invite original research, reviews, and translational studies that address topics including (but not limited to) the following:
1. Environmental Stressors and Metabolic Dysfunction
- Climate-related stress: Heat/cold stress-induced alterations in energy expenditure, thermoregulation, and feed efficiency.
- Toxicant exposure: Air/water pollutants (e.g., heavy metals, pesticides) disrupting endocrine and hepatic function.
- Photoperiod and circadian disruption: Implications for seasonal metabolic disorders (e.g., adiposity, reproductive cyclicity).
2. Nutritional Stress and Metabolic Adaptation
- Nutrient scarcity or excess: Protein/energy restriction vs. high-fat diets in terms of stress susceptibility.
- Micronutrient imbalances: Vitamin D deficiency or iron overload in stress-responsive pathways.
- Feed-associated toxins: Mycotoxins triggering oxidative stress and intestinal barrier dysfunction.
3. Stress–Gut Microbiota Interactions
- Microbial shifts under stress (e.g., reduced Lactobacillus, increased Enterobacteriaceae) and their metabolic consequences (e.g., SCFA depletion, endotoxemia).
- Probiotics/prebiotics as modulators of stress resilience.
4. Therapeutic and Regulatory Approaches
- Bioactive compounds: Phytochemicals (e.g., polyphenols), omega-3 fatty acids, or adaptogens (e.g., ginsenosides) targeting HPA axis or inflammatory pathways.
- Nutritional interventions: Precision feeding strategies to counteract stress-induced metabolic impairments.
Prof. Dr. Wenqiang Ma
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- stress physiology
- metabolic dysfunction
- environmental stress
- nutritional stress
- gut microbiota
- bioactive compounds
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