Is Biodiversity Good for Our Health?

Lyme disease. West Nile virus. Malaria. Over the past several decades, scientists and public health officials have documented the outbreak of many troubling infectious diseases: illnesses once thought well under control are making a comeback or appearing in locations where they had never been seen before; brand new diseases are suddenly appearing on the scene.

Over the same time period that the frequency of emerging infectious diseases appears to be increasing, natural habitats and biological diversity (the abundance, composition and distribution of species) have been declining, primarily due to deforestation, development projects, and other human activities. Is there a link? While the current scientific literature suggests the answer is yes, there have been few integrative, interdisciplinary studies exploring the scientific connections between human health and biodiversity. A new research initiative at EPA aims to fill that void.