A simple way to prevent deadly disease outbreaks (restore biodiversity!)

Perhaps you find it surprising that restoring biodiversity can prevent deadly disease outbreaks and that that biologists can prevent major health crises by creating a healthier planet. Hearing the word biodiversity might make you think of wildflowers, trees, lions and elephants. All these different species are indeed part of biodiversity, but all these species together also serve important functions.

Biodiversity is of immense value to humans. It has ecological values, for instance in terms of carbon storage, water purification and habitat provisioning. It also has economic and livelihood values, think of timber, medicine, firewood, and food. Lastly, it has cultural and aesthetic values in a spiritual, symbolic but also recreational way. Unfortunately, much biodiversity is heavily under threat, mainly because of human actions such as overexploitation, pollution and habitat destruction. Biologists investigate the evolution and ecology of all this diversity. This knowledge can prevent further losses and help restore ecosystems and their services to full functioning. As you read above, these restoration efforts not only help biodiversity itself but also prevent deadly health-risks for humans.

It is clear that environmental disruption probably increases the risk of deadly human diseases. Research has shown that human health and well-being are indeed closely linked to environmental factors. Healthy, naturally functioning ecosystems can regulate reservoirs of infection, reduce stress, improve the immune systems, function as cooling mechanism, etc. 

You can see that biodiversity is an ecosystem service that saves lives and reduces the burden on public health services. And understanding biodiversity is an important aspect of sustainable bioscience. Do you want to protect the planet via biodiversity conservation and restoration? Come and study with us and you will learn all the things you need to be able to do so!