A study published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science suggests that outbreaks of infectious diseases are more likely to occur in areas of deforestation * and monoculture plantations *.
Deforestation: a place where the forest has been cut down to be used as agricultural land, pasture, etc.
Monoculture: agricultural practice of growing a single crop, plant or species of livestock, variety or breed in a field or in an agricultural system at the same time.
Land use change is an important factor in the emergence of zoonotic viruses such as Covid-19 and communicable diseases such as malaria, the study said.
The authors said that this disease is filtered and blocked by a range of predators and habitats in a healthy and biodiversity forest. When this is replaced, many species become extinct, leaving generalists like mice and mosquitoes to thrive and spread pathogens across human and non-human habitats.
Even planting trees can increase health risks for local human populations if it concentrates too narrowly on a small number of species, as often happens in commercial forests, the study found.
"Unë u befasova nga sa i qartë ishte modeli," tha (via Guardian) një nga autorët, Serge Morand, i Qendrës Kombëtare Franceze për Kërkime Shkencore. “Ne duhet t'i kushtojmë më shumë vëmendje rolit të pyllit në shëndetin e njeriut, shëndetin e kafshëve dhe shëndetin e mjedisit. Mesazhi nga ky studim është ‘mos harroni pyllin’.”
Studimi shton një provë në rritje që tregon se viruset kanë më shumë të ngjarë të transferohen te njerëzit ose kafshët nëse ata jetojnë në ose pranë ekosistemeve të trazuara nga njerëzit, të tilla si pyje të pastruara kohët e fundit ose këneta të kulluara për toka bujqësore, projekte minerare ose projekte banimi.
As the author of a 2016 book called "The Other Plague", he says it is only a matter of time until the next pandemic. "The risks are very high. It's just just where and when. We have to prepare. "
