Focus on ecosystem health and infectious diseases.
Specific cases: Lyme disease and hantavirus.
General structure: shorter lectures than Module 1.
Key Question: Do lower biodiversity ecosystems function differently than higher biodiversity ecosystems?
Hypothesis: Biodiversity contributes to beneficial ecosystem services that may justify conservation efforts.
Importance of translating significance of biodiversity to various stakeholders (e.g., grant providers, community members).
Focus on protecting human health through wildlife and biodiversity preservation.
Understanding Lyme disease: chronic and diverse symptoms that mimic other diseases.
Rising prevalence in the developed world due to habitat loss and human encroachment.
Diagnostic challenges due to symptoms overlapping with other ailments.
Characteristic erythema migrans rash is diagnostic but not present in all cases.
Early signs include fever and joint aches; treatment with antibiotics may be effective in early stages but remains debated.
Caused by Borrelia burgdorferi; vector-borne, primarily through Ixodes ticks.
Life cycle of ticks: larval, nymph, and adult stages; nymphs primarily feed on humans and pets.
The longer a tick feeds, the higher the risk of transmitting the bacterium. CDC suggests a window of 24-48 hours for significant risk.
Ticks are non-infectious when they emerge as larvae; need a blood meal to become infected.
High biodiversity correlates to lower incidence of Lyme disease transmission.
Increased white-footed mice populations boost infection rates since they are preferred hosts for larval ticks.
Ideal ecological conditions are necessary for a variety of host species to maintain ecosystem balance.
Other less favorable hosts (like opossums) may help decrease Lyme disease transmission.
Direct implications of biodiversity loss: Increased Lyme disease cases tied to encroachment and degradation of natural habitats.
More deer suggest higher tick populations, contributing to increased Lyme disease transmission.
RNA virus with rodents as primary reservoirs; transmitted through contact with rodent excretions.
Associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome; high fatality rate (~40%).
Infection risk increases with rodent population density and direct human contact.
Similar patterns to Lyme disease: increased rodent host diversity correlates to lower human disease rates.
Climate and weather conditions can significantly affect disease outbreaks (e.g., El Niño effects).
Example: 1993 hantavirus outbreak linked with drought and subsequent weather changes leading to rodent population increases.
Conclusion: High biodiversity is protective against disease outbreaks, which benefits human health.
Importance of understanding ecological relationships in disease transmission and prevention efforts.
Encouragement of further research into reservoir species dynamics and the impact of environmental changes on disease transmission.
Opportunities for research in understanding how species become generalists in disease transmission.
Need for studies on biodiversity's role in emerging infectious diseases, beneficial both for immediate health impacts and long-term ecological maintenance.
Upcoming activities: Watch a video on Lyme disease and biodiversity; read an article on biodiversity's impact on emerging infectious diseases.
Module 1 Lecture 9
Focus on ecosystem health and infectious diseases.
Specific cases: Lyme disease and hantavirus.
General structure: shorter lectures than Module 1.
Key Question: Do lower biodiversity ecosystems function differently than higher biodiversity ecosystems?
Hypothesis: Biodiversity contributes to beneficial ecosystem services that may justify conservation efforts.
Importance of translating significance of biodiversity to various stakeholders (e.g., grant providers, community members).
Focus on protecting human health through wildlife and biodiversity preservation.
Understanding Lyme disease: chronic and diverse symptoms that mimic other diseases.
Rising prevalence in the developed world due to habitat loss and human encroachment.
Diagnostic challenges due to symptoms overlapping with other ailments.
Characteristic erythema migrans rash is diagnostic but not present in all cases.
Early signs include fever and joint aches; treatment with antibiotics may be effective in early stages but remains debated.
Caused by Borrelia burgdorferi; vector-borne, primarily through Ixodes ticks.
Life cycle of ticks: larval, nymph, and adult stages; nymphs primarily feed on humans and pets.
The longer a tick feeds, the higher the risk of transmitting the bacterium. CDC suggests a window of 24-48 hours for significant risk.
Ticks are non-infectious when they emerge as larvae; need a blood meal to become infected.
High biodiversity correlates to lower incidence of Lyme disease transmission.
Increased white-footed mice populations boost infection rates since they are preferred hosts for larval ticks.
Ideal ecological conditions are necessary for a variety of host species to maintain ecosystem balance.
Other less favorable hosts (like opossums) may help decrease Lyme disease transmission.
Direct implications of biodiversity loss: Increased Lyme disease cases tied to encroachment and degradation of natural habitats.
More deer suggest higher tick populations, contributing to increased Lyme disease transmission.
RNA virus with rodents as primary reservoirs; transmitted through contact with rodent excretions.
Associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome; high fatality rate (~40%).
Infection risk increases with rodent population density and direct human contact.
Similar patterns to Lyme disease: increased rodent host diversity correlates to lower human disease rates.
Climate and weather conditions can significantly affect disease outbreaks (e.g., El Niño effects).
Example: 1993 hantavirus outbreak linked with drought and subsequent weather changes leading to rodent population increases.
Conclusion: High biodiversity is protective against disease outbreaks, which benefits human health.
Importance of understanding ecological relationships in disease transmission and prevention efforts.
Encouragement of further research into reservoir species dynamics and the impact of environmental changes on disease transmission.
Opportunities for research in understanding how species become generalists in disease transmission.
Need for studies on biodiversity's role in emerging infectious diseases, beneficial both for immediate health impacts and long-term ecological maintenance.
Upcoming activities: Watch a video on Lyme disease and biodiversity; read an article on biodiversity's impact on emerging infectious diseases.