Summary
Published in Reviews of Geophysics, this review synthesises evidence on the mechanisms by which land use change — including deforestation, agricultural encroachment, and urbanisation — facilitates the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, particularly zoonoses. The authors draw on ecological, epidemiological, and geospatial research to characterise how habitat disturbance reshapes host-pathogen dynamics and increases human exposure to novel pathogens. The paper represents a cross-disciplinary contribution linking earth system science, landscape ecology, and public health.
UK applicability
Whilst the scope is global, the findings are broadly applicable to UK land use policy, particularly regarding the health co-benefits of conservation, rewilding, and sustainable agricultural expansion; UK agencies such as UKHSA and Natural England may find the framework relevant to biosecurity and nature recovery strategies.
Key measures
Land use change metrics (e.g. deforestation rates, habitat fragmentation indices); zoonotic disease emergence events; spillover risk indicators; wildlife-livestock-human interface proximity
Outcomes reported
The study examines how deforestation, agricultural expansion, and other land use changes alter wildlife-human interfaces and increase the risk of infectious disease emergence, particularly zoonotic diseases. It likely synthesises evidence on spatial and ecological pathways linking land conversion to pathogen spillover events.
Topic tags
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