Effect of loss of Biodiversity on Our Health

We all should know the effect of loss of bio diversity on us. We all should be aware that the loss of biodiversity is a door to the increase of infectious diseases. A loss of some species will cause an increase in pathogens, or disease causing organisms. A better understanding and increasing the awareness will help in controlling and preventing some infectious diseases. Important information is that the species that are most likely to survive with the loss of biodiversity are the spices that increase the transmission of the infectious diseases and the spices that help stopping the transmission of the infectious diseases are the ones most likely to be lost.  Humans contact with novel pathogens is increasing due to the increasing population which requires clearing more land and hunting and looking for wild life. An example that will clarify the effect of loss of bio diversity on human health is the case of Lyme disease, says co-author Richard Ostfeld of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., "strongly buffering species like the opossum are lost when forests are fragmented, but white-footed mice thrive. "The mice increase numbers of both the blacklegged tick vector [transmission pathway] and the pathogen that causes Lyme disease."

This shows that loss of biodiversity on earth does not only effect animals and other species on earth, but also effect humans as well and increase the diseases such as infusions’ diseases. This video will also show how forest fragmentation can cause infectious diseases  

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_videos.jsp?cntn_id=118114&media_id=68811&org=NSF

By : Majid Yaqoub