Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 106420 |
Journal | Environment international |
Volume | 150 |
Early online date | 6 Feb 2021 |
Publication status | Published - May 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
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.
Keywords
- Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, Human well-being, Mediation, Nature, Public health
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- General Environmental Science
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Environment international, Vol. 150, 106420, 05.2021.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Pathways linking biodiversity to human health
T2 - A conceptual framework
AU - Marselle, Melissa R.
AU - Hartig, Terry
AU - Cox, Daniel T.C.
AU - de Bell, Siân
AU - Knapp, Sonja
AU - Lindley, Sarah
AU - Triguero-Mas, Margarita
AU - Böhning-Gaese, Katrin
AU - Braubach, Matthias
AU - Cook, Penny A.
AU - de Vries, Sjerp
AU - Heintz-Buschart, Anna
AU - Hofmann, Max
AU - Irvine, Katherine N.
AU - Kabisch, Nadja
AU - Kolek, Franziska
AU - Kraemer, Roland
AU - Markevych, Iana
AU - Martens, Dörte
AU - Müller, Ruth
AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
AU - Potts, Jacqueline M.
AU - Stadler, Jutta
AU - Walton, Samantha
AU - Warber, Sara L.
AU - Bonn, Aletta
N1 - Funding Information: We thank three anonymous reviewers and Michael Scherer-Lorenzen for their helpful suggestions that strengthened the manuscript. The Expert Workshop and publication costs were funded by the Volkswagen Foundation [grant number 96 067]. MRM, AB and AHB were funded by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig of the German Research Foundation [grant number DFG-FZT 118, 202548816]. MRM and AB received additional funding through the Dr. Forest project, funded by the German Research Foundation [grant number DFG 428795724], as part of the BiodivERsA3 ERA-Net COFUND program (2018-2019 BiodivERsA joint call for research proposals). TH received financial support from the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning [grant number 2016-01157]. MTM is funded by a Juan de la Cierva fellowship [grant number FJCI-2017-33842] awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. KNI and JMP acknowledge funding from the Scottish Government's Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Strategic Research Portfolio. IM is supported by the TEAM-NET program of the Foundation for Polish Science, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Operational Program [grant number POIR.04.04.00-1763/18-00]. NK acknowledges funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) [grant number 01LN1705A]. RM is supported from the BMBF [grant number 01Kl1717] as part of the National Research Network on Zoonotic Infectious Diseases of Germany, and from the BiodivERsA3 ERA-Net COFUND program (2018-2019 BiodivERsA joint call for research proposals) [grant number G0G2319N]. SL and PC are supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council under the Valuing Nature Program [grant number NE/N013530/1]. Funding Information: We thank three anonymous reviewers and Michael Scherer-Lorenzen for their helpful suggestions that strengthened the manuscript. The Expert Workshop and publication costs were funded by the Volkswagen Foundation [grant number 96 067]. MRM, AB and AHB were funded by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig of the German Research Foundation [grant number DFG-FZT 118, 202548816]. MRM and AB received additional funding through the Dr. Forest project, funded by the German Research Foundation [grant number DFG 428795724], as part of the BiodivERsA3 ERA-Net COFUND program (2018-2019 BiodivERsA joint call for research proposals). TH received financial support from the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning [grant number 2016-01157]. MTM is funded by a Juan de la Cierva fellowship [grant number FJCI-2017-33842] awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. KNI and JMP acknowledge funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Strategic Research Portfolio. IM is supported by the TEAM-NET program of the Foundation for Polish Science, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Operational Program [grant number POIR.04.04.00-1763/18-00]. NK acknowledges funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) [grant number 01LN1705A]. RM is supported from the BMBF [grant number 01Kl1717] as part of the National Research Network on Zoonotic Infectious Diseases of Germany, and from the BiodivERsA3 ERA-Net COFUND program (2018-2019 BiodivERsA joint call for research proposals) [grant number G0G2319N]. SL and PC are supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council under the Valuing Nature Program [grant number NE/N013530/1]. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Human well-being
KW - Mediation
KW - Nature
KW - Public health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100526557&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106420
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106420
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33556912
AN - SCOPUS:85100526557
VL - 150
JO - Environment international
JF - Environment international
SN - 0160-4120
M1 - 106420
ER -