Researchers' call: Consider the risk of animal-borne diseases in ecosystem restoration

Infectious diseases that spread between animals and humans, known as zoonoses, pose a global threat to human health. Human impact on ecosystems, such as the use of land where animals live, can lead to contact with infected animals and increase the risk of disease outbreaks. 

At the same time, work is underway around the world to try to restore damaged ecosystems and restore areas to increase biodiversity and mitigate climate change. In the study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, researchers have compiled and evaluated the risks associated with ecosystem restoration if zoonotic diseases are not taken into account. This is because there has been a lack of knowledge about how these measures can cause the spread of infection.

– There is a great need for practical guidance on how to carry out ecosystem restoration in a way that maximises biodiversity while minimising the risk of zoonotic diseases that may be caused by the restoration measures, says Frauke Ecke, Senior Lecturer at SLU and Professor at the University of Helsinki, who led the study.

The risk of zoonotic outbreaks may increase temporarily

She explains that there may be a time lag between the implementation of restoration measures and when the desired species return. During that time, animals carrying infectious pathogens may take up more space, reproduce and thus increase the risk of disease outbreaks.

Frauke Ecke takes the ecosystem of an old-growth forest in northern Sweden as an example. 

– There are small mammal communities that are species-rich and in balance. When the forest is clear-cut, the balance is disrupted and only a few generalist species that are overrepresented among pathogen hosts remain. If we try to restore forests, it may take a hundred years before certain species return. In the meantime, bank voles, which carry the zoonotic pathogen causing vole fever in humans, might dominate, says Frauke Ecke.

In this case, one measure could be to put up nest boxes to increase the number of owls in the forest.

– We can create structures that attract predators that keep pathogen-carrying species such as bank voles in check until the balance is restored, she says. 

Advice to authorities

The study also highlights climate change as something that should be taken into account when restoration projects are launched. In 50 years, the conditions for a restored habitat may look completely different.  

The researchers are now calling on authorities and decision-makers around the world to take note of the new knowledge summarised in a policy brief (https://www.beprep-project.eu/policy-briefs

– The most important message is to take potential disease risks into account when planning restoration measures. In this way, the risk of restoration-related disease outbreaks can be minimised, says Frauke Ecke.

Scientific article

Adaptive ecosystem restoration to mitigate zoonotic risks

Frauke Ecke, Jan C. Semenza, Elena Buzan, Federico Costa, Emanuele Giorgi, Junwen Guo, Lucinda Kirkpatrick, Sascha Knauf, Yonas Meheretu, Navinder Singh, Henrik Sjödin, Matt Timperley, Marina Treskova, Rainer G. Ulrich, Caio Graco Zeppelini & Joacim Rocklöv https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02869-3

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