Sacred cows and sympathetic squirrels: The importance of biological diversity to human health
2006
The Importance of Biological Diversity to Human Health
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Andy Dobson, Isabella Cattadori, Robert D. Holt, Richard S. Ostfeld, Felicia Keesing, Kristle Krichbaum, Jason R. Rohr, Sarah E. Perkins, Peter J. Hudson
Primary Institution: Princeton University and Pennsylvania State University
Hypothesis
How does biological diversity influence the risk of zoonotic disease transmission to humans?
Conclusion
Maintaining biological diversity can help reduce the risk of infectious diseases in humans.
Supporting Evidence
- Certain host species can reduce the transmission of diseases like malaria and Lyme disease.
- High species diversity can dilute the risk of zoonotic diseases by reducing the abundance of competent reservoirs.
- Habitat loss and fragmentation increase the risk of disease transmission by favoring certain host species.
Takeaway
Having a variety of animals and plants around can help keep us safe from diseases that can spread to humans.
Limitations
The study discusses complex interactions in ecological systems, which can be difficult to quantify.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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