What Role Do Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Play in Disease Prevention?

A diverse ecosystem tends to regulate and limit the spread of pathogens. For example, a variety of species can act as a buffer, diluting the prevalence of hosts that carry disease-causing organisms. This phenomenon, known as the dilution effect, suggests that maintaining high levels of biodiversity can decrease the incidence of certain diseases, such as Lyme disease. Conservation strategies that protect biodiversity are not only environmentally sound but also beneficial for public health.