STATE OF THE RAINFOREST 2014
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for the spread of disease. In fact, research has shown the
opposite. Biodiversity loss causes the loss of an important
ecosystem service: buffering the spread of infectious diseases
to humans, animals and plants. The decline of biodiversity
may lead to the more rapid emergence and re-emergence of
infectious diseases.
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The positive linkages between biodiversity
and health are well documented, and the examples are many. In
the Peruvian Amazon, mosquitoes associated with malaria were
observed to bite people 278 times more frequently in deforested
areas than in areas still predominantly forested. In Indonesia,
communities living near Ruteng Park have fewer cases of malaria
and dysentery, fewer school days missed due to illness, and less
hunger associated with crop failure than similar communities
without intact forests nearby.
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How much is it worth? Biodiversity in the world’s tropical forests
provides services of huge economic value, but is difficult to
measure. Many estimates have been made, however, and the
value amounts to trillions of dollars.
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What is even more difficult
to express in monetary terms is how biodiversity contributes to
ecosystem resilience – or the ability to continue providing services
under changing environmental conditions – as natural insurance
against shocks.
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As rainforests are destroyed, the values and services they provide
are threatened. The sustainability of nearly two-thirds of our
planet’s supply of ecosystem services may be in jeopardy.
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This
directly affects poor people today, and further degradation will
make it harder to achieve development goals in the future.
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