The research examines various environmental factors like pollution, hunting, and climate change, and their combined effects on disease proliferation.
Key findings indicate that disruptions in biodiversity, largely due to human activities, make ecosystems more susceptible to parasites and diseases.
The study compiles extensive data from various species and pathogens to underscore a global increase in disease risks due to environmental degradation.
Key quote:
“This adds to a very long list of reasons we should be rapidly moving away from fossil fuels and trying to mitigate the impacts of climate change.”
— Felicia Keesing, professor at Bard College, whose research focuses on biodiversity and disease risks
Why this matters:
Healthy, diverse ecosystems often act as buffers against the spread of diseases. Species-rich areas, for instance, contain a variety of hosts that can dilute the impact of pathogens. However, when biodiversity is compromised — through deforestation, pollution, and climate change — these natural checks on disease diminish, and pathogens can spread more rapidly and widely.
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