What is the Role of Biodiversity in Disease Regulation?

Biodiversity can have both protective and detrimental effects on disease transmission. The dilution effect hypothesis suggests that higher biodiversity can reduce disease risk by diluting the pool of hosts that pathogens rely on. Conversely, the amplification effect proposes that increased biodiversity can enhance disease spread by providing more hosts for pathogens. The net impact of biodiversity on disease dynamics depends on the specific interactions between hosts, vectors, and pathogens within an ecosystem.