Human health impacts of ecosystem alteration.
Human activity is rapidly transforming most of Earth's natural systems. How this transformation is impacting human health, whose health is at greatest risk, and the magnitude of the associated disease burden are relatively new subjects within the field of environmental health. We discuss what is known about the human health implications of changes in the structure and function of natural systems and propose that these changes are affecting human health in a variety of important ways. We identify several gaps and limitations in the research that has been done to date and propose a more systematic and comprehensive approach to applied research in this field. Such efforts could lead to a more robust understanding of the human health impacts of accelerating environmental change and inform decision making in the land-use planning, environmental conservation, and public health policy realms.
Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Center for the Environment, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Samuel S
SS
Myers
Lynne
L
Gaffikin
Christopher D
CD
Golden
Richard S
RS
Ostfeld
Kent H
KH
Redford
Taylor H
TH
Ricketts
Will R
WR
Turner
Steven A
SA
Osofsky
D017753:Ecosystem; D004782:Environmental Health / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006304:Health Status; D006802:Human Activities; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research
ecological footprint; ecology; ecosystem services; global change; planetary boundaries