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Why deforestation and extinctions make pandemics more likely

Researchers are redoubling efforts to understand links between biodiversity and emerging diseases — and use that information to predict and stop future outbreaks.
  1. Jeff Tollefson
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As humans diminish biodiversity by cutting down forests and building more infrastructure, they’re increasing the risk of disease pandemics such as COVID-19. Many ecologists have long suspected this, but a new study helps to reveal why: while some species are going extinct, those that tend to survive and thrive — rats and bats, for instance — are more likely to host potentially dangerous pathogens that can make the jump to humans.

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Nature 584, 175-176 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02341-1

Updates & Corrections

  • Correction 07 August 2020: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Ibrahima Socé Fall is head of the World Health Organization’s emergency operations in Africa. In fact, he is responsible for the WHO’s emergency operations worldwide and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

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