Pathways linking biodiversity to human health: A conceptual framework.

Area of Science:

• Interdisciplinary research integrating natural, social, and health sciences.

Background:

• Growing evidence links nature to human health, yet mechanistic understanding of biodiversity's influence is limited.
• Pathways include psychological, social, and biophysical processes, necessitating a structured framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a conceptual framework detailing the diverse pathways connecting biodiversity and human health.
• To organize these pathways into four domains: reducing harm, restoring capacities, building capacities, and causing harm.

Main Methods:

• Synthesizing evidence from natural, social, and health sciences.
• Developing a conceptual framework to categorize biodiversity-health interactions.
• Discussing analytical approaches and datasets for framework validation.

Main Results:

• Identified four key domains of biodiversity-health pathways: reducing harm (e.g., medicines, pollution reduction), restoring capacities (e.g., stress reduction), building capacities (e.g., physical activity), and causing harm (e.g., zoonotic diseases).

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of biodiversity-health pathways can support conservation as a public health strategy.
• Research and policy recommendations are needed to promote biodiversity-focused public health actions.