The importance of biodiversity to human health cbd. How human health depends on biodiversity edited by eric chivian and aaron bernsteinoxford university press, 2008, 542 pp. Biodiversity and human health by jensa bell nook book. Solving the critical environmental problems of global warming, water scarcity, pollution, and biodiversity. The emphasis is on multiple human health benefits from biodiversity in particular with respect to the increasing challenge of climate change. Uri professor edits book on biodiversity and human health. This summary, using concrete examples from our awardwinning oxford university press book, sustaining life. May 02, 2019 biodiversity is the term used to describe the variety of all living things.
Biodiversity can be explored in a number of emerging movements and. Excellent amount of information about the relationship between flora and fauna of the earth and medicine. We propose that biodiversity loss will reduce opportunities to value cultural goods, thus reducing human wellbeing and, subsequently, human health. Biodiversity change and human health brings together leading experts from the natural science and social science realms as well as the medical community to explore the explicit linkages between human driven alterations of biodiversity and documented impacts of those changes on human health. Then, from a theoretical and empirical perspective, it is explained the general relationship of biodiversity with human health, focusing on the association with mental health. Environmental health is a branch of public health that addresses all aspects of the broader environment that can affect human health.
Benefits of biodiversity to human health and wellbeing u. March 6, 2009 laura meyerson, assistant professor of natural resources science at the university of rhode island, is the coeditor of a new book that explores the links between humancaused alterations of biodiversity and the impacts of those changes on human health. How human health depends on biodiversity, edited and written by eric chivian and aaron bernstein, provides a comprehensive view of how humans this article was originally published on the wensite for jane goodalls. March 6, 2009 laura meyerson, assistant professor of natural resources science at the university of rhode island, is the coeditor of a new book that explores the links between human caused alterations of biodiversity and the impacts of those changes on human health. Biodiversity and its importance to human health as want to read. But the accelerated extinction rate translates into the loss of tens of thousands of species within our lifetimes, and it is likely to have dramatic effects on human welfare through the collapse of ecosystems and in added costs to maintain food production, clean air and water, and human health. As biodiversity disappears, the risk to human health increases.
Contributors discuss the uses and significance of biodiversity to the practice of medicine today, and develop strategies for conservation of these critical resources. Human health archeological evidence indicates that humans have been using plants for medicinal uses for thousands of years. Joshua rosenthal is director of biodiversity programs at the fogarty international center of the national institutes of health in bethesda, maryland. Implications for human health, chapter 2 earthly dominion. In contrast, the continuing loss of biodiversity on a global scale represents a direct threat to our health. The book is a result of collaboration between the convention on biological diversity cbd, the world health organization who and other partners bringing together expertise and. Biodiversity is the term used to describe the variety of all living things. Who library cataloguinginpublication data connecting global priorities. The book is well organized, with beautiful supporting imagery. Upon release of the fulllength volume, the book will be the new flagship publication under the cbd joint work programme on biodiversity and health coled with the world health organization, in collaboration numerous international partners. Based on a major conference sponsored by the national academy of sciences and the smithsonian institution, biodiversity creates a systematic. The text is designed for an introductorylevel college science course.
Biodiversity includes genetic diversity, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and their associated evolutionary and ecological processes. Biodiversity and human health edition 1 by jensa bell. The book provides a common framework for physicians and biomedical researchers who wish to learn more about environmental concerns, and for members of. If we lacked diversity, then wed be vulnerable to diseases, as well as environmental conditions. Biodiversity is not evenly distributed, rather it varies greatly across the globe as well as within regions. And while many books have focused on the expected ecological consequences, or on the aesthetic, ethical, sociological, or economic dimensions of this loss, sustaining life is the first book to examine the full range of potential threats that diminishing biodiversity poses to human health.
The study of the spatial distribution of organisms, species and ecosystems, is the science of biogeography. Soil biodiversity is increasingly recognized as providing benefits to human health because it can. Algonquin books, for a discussion of the health benefits of childrens exposure to nature, and related discussion on naturedeficit disorder. Benefits of biodiversity to human health and wellbeing. Biodiversity gives resiliencefrom the microbes that contribute to the formation of the human biome to the genes that help us adapt to stress in the environmentsupports all forms of livelihoods, may help regulate disease, and is necessary for physical, mental, and spiritual health and social wellbeing. I found the book to be comprehensive over the topics normally covered in a onesemester human biology class for certain allied health majors such as medical assistant. Experts on the global environment and biomedicine explore the human health consequences of the loss of biological diversity and its deleterious effects on the spread of human diseases, supplies of raw materials for drug discovery, and food and water quality.
We can improve our understanding of the complex linkages between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human health and promote cobenefits through more integrated policies and implementation activities by strengthening collaboration with the health sector and mainstreaming biodiversity and health linkages into national strategies policies. The future work program of ipbes will be approved at the next plenary session early may, in paris. Biodiversity,air quality and human health air pollution is a significant problem in cities across the world. Wilson and a prologue by kofi annan, and more than 200 poignant color illustrations, sustaining life contributes essential perspective to the debate over how humans affect. Biodiversity loss affects the spread of human diseases, causes a loss of medical models, diminishes the supplies of raw materials for drug discovery and. Sustaining life how human health depends on biodiversity edited by eric chivian and aaron bernstein. The book utilizes multidisciplinary approaches to explore and address the complex interplay between natural biodiversity and human health and wellbeing. First book to cover the full scope of human health impacts from a loss of biodiversity. Where pandemics come from and how to stop them the revelator. Examines how the microbial world must be included in discussions about ecosystems.
Biodiversity and human health brings together leading thinkers on the global environment and biomedicine to explore these consequences. Environmental health has been defined by the world health organization as aspects of human health and diseases that are. Where pandemics come from and how to stop them the. Covering biodiversity loss, the contribution to medical science of various plants and animals, potential untapped reservoirs of medicines, e.
By securing the lifesustaining goods and services which biodiversity provides to us, the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity can provide significant benefits to our health. Topics include the fundamentals of ecology, biodiversity, pollution, climate change, food production, and human population growth. Bernstein, editors, oxford university press, new york, ny 2008 and the world health organization website, unless cited otherwise. It begins with a primer on appreciating biological diversity from the level of genes. The book provides a common framework for physicians and biomedical researchers who wish to learn more about environmental. The book utilizes multidisciplinary approaches to explore and address the. Connecting global priorities, biodiversity and human health. Biodiversity and human health jensa bell, bhaswati bhattacharya, michael boyd, mary campbell, eric chivian, paul cox, gordon cragg, andrew p. Because solving the population problem is essential to stopping the biodiversity crisis, it is striking that in a long book with a chapter on how we can modify our consumption to protect. Experts say we need to protect wild spaces and species to help prevent future outbreaks. Among other factors, the diversity of all living things depends on temperature, precipitation, altitude, soils, geography and the presence of other species. Belgium, in line with what neoh network for evaluation of one health prepared, proposed a assessment on nature biodiversity human health linkages, based on an integrated one health approach.
Based on a twoday conference sponsored by the national institutes of health, the national science foundation, and the smithsonian institution, the book opens a dialogue among experts from the fields of public health, biology. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles. However, biodiversity and health offers the unique opportunity to demonstrate how ecological, environmental, medical and social sciences can contribute to the improvement of human health and wellbeing through the conservation of biodiversity and the services it brings to societies. This important book for scientists and nonscientists alike calls attention to a most urgent global problem. Nov 23, 2015 soil biodiversity sustains human health and its loss can be mitigated by sustainable management. The importance of biodiversity to human life biology 2e. Environmental health an overview sciencedirect topics. Cone snails, the consequences both intended and unintended of changes in biodiversity for human health and agriculture and biodiversity there is a lot to get through. You can see the authors on you tube and their harvard website. A special part of the chapter will be the explanation of the underlying theories that give support to the plausible association between biodiversity and mental health. Cbd secretariat, unep, and undp and the international union for the conservation of nature iucn, has been prepared to demonstrate that human beings are an integral.
Start by marking medicinal resources of the tropical forest. The implications of biodiversity loss for the global environment have been widely discussed, but only recently has attention been paid to its direct and serious effects on human health. Based on a twoday conference sponsored by the national institutes of health, the national science foundation, and the smithsonian institution, the book opens a dialogue among experts from the fields of public health, biology, epidemiology, botany, ecology, demography, and pharmacology on this vital but often. Soil biodiversity sustains human health and its loss can be mitigated by sustainable management. This fact sheet is based on the book sustaining life. Biodiversity and human health brings together leading thinkers on the global environment and biomedicine to explore the human health consequences of the. The implications of biodiversity loss for the global environment have. Biodiversity and human health brings together leading thinkers on the global environment and biomedicine to explore the human health consequences of the loss of biological diversity. Biodiversity and human health brings together the current state of knowledge about how biodiversity and human health are linked. Biodiversity and human health by francesca grifo, hardcover. Human impact on biodiversity equals, roughly, number of humans times the amount consumed per capita, with a correction factor for good or bad behavior. Biodiversity is important to the survival and welfare of human populations because it has impacts on our health and our ability to feed ourselves through agriculture and harvesting populations of wild animals. For example, the extinction of one species may cause the extinction of another.
This book could also serve as a basic science text for a science class that also on human biology. From evolutionary ecology, to laws and policies, this book explores the links between health and biodiversity demonstrates how ecological sciences, environmental sciences, medical sciences, and social sciences may contribute to improve human health. Bhaswati bhattacharya and mary campbell and jensa bell and michael boyd and. Experts on the global environment and biomedicine explore the human health consequences of the loss of biological diversity and its deleterious effects on the spread of human diseases, supplies of raw materials. From ecosystem services to spread of disease scientific committee on problems of the environment scope series book 69 kindle edition by osvaldo e. A chinese document from approximately 2800 bc is believed to be the the first written account of herbal remedies, and such references occur throughout the global historical record. Understanding these humanbiodiversity relationships is essential if the conservation agenda is to be aligned.
Abstractsome recent studies claim biodiversity has a positive effect on human health, whereas human alterations to the natural environment have unfavorable health effects. Part i causes and consequences of biodiversity loss for human health, chapter 1 global environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. Mar 23, 2020 where pandemics come from and how to stop them. The entire world is a battlefield, and we must decide whether we are to be the soldiers that kill upon that field, or the leaders who sign a firm and lasting peace with the planet. Assembled by a team of nearly 300 authors and editors, the book starts with overviews of biodiversity and how it is threatened by human activity, claims that biodiversity supports essential ecosystem services, and then introduces medicines from nature. How our health depends on biodiversity by eric chivian m.
Human action has triggered a vast cascade of environmental problems that now threaten the continued ability of both natural and human systems to flourish. Reviews the most recent literature in the field, with more than 1400 in. Based on a major conference sponsored by the national academy of sciences and the smithsonian institution, biodiversity creates a. How human health depends on biodiversity, cosponsored by the u. Mar 21, 2017 biodiversity is the reason for our success as a species.
Based on a twoday conference sponsored by the national institutes of health, the national science foundation, and the smithsonian institution, the book opens a. This transdisciplinary book will attract a wide audience interested in biodiversity, ecology, resource management, public health, psychology, urban planning, and landscape architecture. Francesca grifo is director of the center for biodiversity and conservation at the american museum of natural history in new york. Pdf benefits of biodiversity to human health and wellbeing. This open textbook covers the most salient environmental issues, from a biological perspective. In focusing on the human health dimensions of biodiversity loss, this volume helps people understand that human beings are an integral part of the environment, and that to protect their health and lives, and those of their children, people must learn to protect the environment. Synopsis the book provides a common framework for physicians and biomedical researchers who wish to.
Biodiversity loss affects the spread of human diseases, causes a loss of medical models, diminishes the supplies of raw materials for drug discovery and biotechnology, and threatens food production and water quality. The great thing is the authors continue to work in this field and you can see their progress on biodiversity and human health online. This makes the book unique to other books that focus either on biodiversity and physical health or natural environments and mental wellbeing. Population growth, biodiversity, and health, chapter 3 biodiversity and emerging infectious diseases. Based on a twoday conference sponsored by the national institutes of health, the national science foundation, and the smithsonian institution, the book opens a dialogue among experts from the fields of public health. Climate change presents significant challenges to human health and. Biodiversity, nature, and human health natural medicine journal. The implications of biodiversity loss for the global environment have been widely discussed, but only recently has attention been paid to its direct and serious. Serge morand, claire lajaunie, in biodiversity and health, 2018. Biodiversity change and human health brings together leading experts from the natural science and social science realms as well as the medical community to explore the explicit linkages between humandriven alterations of biodiversity and documented impacts of those changes on human health.
Biodiversity and health in the face of climate change. Experts on the global environment and biomedicine explore th. This book identifies the contribution of biodiversity to physical, mental. Unsafe water can lead to a number of waterborne diseases. The book utilizes multidisciplinary approaches to explore and address the complex interplay between natural biodiversity and human health.