What is the Role of Biodiversity in Zoonotic Diseases?
Zoonotic diseases are infections that are transmitted from animals to humans. The relationship between biodiversity and zoonotic diseases is complex:
- High Biodiversity: In ecosystems with high biodiversity, the risk of zoonotic diseases can be lower due to the dilution effect. Diverse ecosystems can support various non-competent hosts, which do not effectively transmit the pathogen.
- Low Biodiversity: In contrast, ecosystems with low biodiversity often have a higher prevalence of zoonotic diseases. Reduced biodiversity can lead to an increase in the population of competent hosts, such as rodents, which are effective carriers of pathogens like Hantavirus.
