Pathways linking biodiversity to human health

A conceptual framework

authored by

Melissa R. Marselle, Terry Hartig, Daniel T.C. Cox, Siân de Bell, Sonja Knapp, Sarah Lindley, Margarita Triguero-Mas, Katrin Böhning-Gaese, Matthias Braubach, Penny A. Cook, Sjerp de Vries, Anna Heintz-Buschart, Max Hofmann, Katherine N. Irvine, Nadja Kabisch, Franziska Kolek, Roland Kraemer, Iana Markevych, Dörte Martens, Ruth Müller, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Jacqueline M. Potts, Jutta Stadler, Samantha Walton, Sara L. Warber, Aletta Bonn

Abstract

Biodiversity is a cornerstone of human health and well-being. However, while evidence of the contributions of nature to human health is rapidly building, research into how biodiversity relates to human health remains limited in important respects. In particular, a better mechanistic understanding of the range of pathways through which biodiversity can influence human health is needed. These pathways relate to both psychological and social processes as well as biophysical processes. Building on evidence from across the natural, social and health sciences, we present a conceptual framework organizing the pathways linking biodiversity to human health. Four domains of pathways—both beneficial as well as harmful—link biodiversity with human health: (i) reducing harm (e.g. provision of medicines, decreasing exposure to air and noise pollution); (ii) restoring capacities (e.g. attention restoration, stress reduction); (iii) building capacities (e.g. promoting physical activity, transcendent experiences); and (iv) causing harm (e.g. dangerous wildlife, zoonotic diseases, allergens). We discuss how to test components of the biodiversity-health framework with available analytical approaches and existing datasets. In a world with accelerating declines in biodiversity, profound land-use change, and an increase in non-communicable and zoonotic diseases globally, greater understanding of these pathways can reinforce biodiversity conservation as a strategy for the promotion of health for both people and nature. We conclude by identifying research avenues and recommendations for policy and practice to foster biodiversity-focused public health actions.

External Organisation(s)

German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
De Montfort University
Uppsala University
University of Manchester
Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)
Goethe University Frankfurt
University of Salford
Wageningen University and Research
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO)
The James Hutton Institute
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin)
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Jagiellonian University
University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde (HNEE)
Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerpen
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)
Centros de Investigacion Biomedica en Red - CIBER
Australian Catholic University
Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BFN)
Bath Spa University
University of Michigan
Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health
IMIM - Municipal Institute for Medical Research Hospital del Mar
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F)
WHO Regional Office for Europe
University of Exeter
Universität Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

Type

Review article

Journal

Environment international

Volume

150

ISSN

0160-4120

Publication date

05.2021

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Science(all)

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, SDG 15 - Life on Land

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106420 (Access: Open)