Tropical peatlands and their conservation are important in the context of COVID-19 and potential future (zoonotic) disease pandemics

PeerJ

article

Mark E. Harrison¹  Lahiru S. Wijedasa⁴  Lydia E.S. Cole⁶  Susan M. Cheyne²  Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad⁹  Liana Chua^1,11  Greta C. Dargie^1,12  Corneille E.N. Ewango^1,13  Euridice N. Honorio Coronado^1,14  Suspense A. Ifo^1,15  Muhammad Ali Imron^1,16  Dianna Kopansky^1,17  Trilianty Lestarisa^1,18  Patrick J. O’Reilly³  Julie Van Offelen^2,20  Johannes Refisch^2,21  Katherine Roucoux⁶  Jito Sugardjito^2,22  Sara A. Thornton²  Caroline Upton³  Susan Page² 

[1] Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter;Borneo Nature Foundation International;School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester;Integrated Tropical Peatland Research Program ,(INTPREP), Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore;ConservationLinks Pvt Ltd;School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews;Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University;IUCN SSC PSG Section on Small Apes;Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia;ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Indonesia;Department of Social and Political Sciences, Brunel University;School of Geography, University of Leeds;Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management/Faculty of Sciences, University of Kisangani;Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana;Laboratoire de Géomatique et d’Ecologie Tropicale Appliquée, Département des Sciences et Vie de la Terre, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Marien Ngouabi;Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada;Global Peatlands Initiative, Ecosystems Division, United Nations Environment Programme;Faculty of Medicine, Palangka Raya University;Doctoral Program of Public Health, Airlangga University;Independent Consultant;Great Apes Survival Partnership, United Nations Environment Programme;Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources Management, Universitas Nasional;Faculty of Biology, Universitas Nasional

关键词: Amazon;    Congo basin;    Conservation;    Coronavirus;    Emerging infectious disease (EID);    Indonesia;    SARS-CoV-2;    Southeast Asia;    Wildlife harvesting;    Zoonoses;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.10283

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global disruption, with the emergence of this and other pandemics having been linked to habitat encroachment and/or wildlife exploitation. High impacts of COVID-19 are apparent in some countries with large tropical peatland areas, some of which are relatively poorly resourced to tackle disease pandemics. Despite this, no previous investigation has considered tropical peatlands in the context of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Here, we review: (i) the potential for future EIDs arising from tropical peatlands; (ii) potential threats to tropical peatland conservation and local communities from COVID-19; and (iii) potential steps to help mitigate these risks. We find that high biodiversity in tropical peat-swamp forests, including presence of many potential vertebrate and invertebrate vectors, combined, in places, with high levels of habitat disruption and wildlife harvesting represent suitable conditions for potential zoonotic EID (re-)emergence. Although impossible to predict precisely, we identify numerous potential threats to tropical peatland conservation and local communities from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes impacts on public health, with the potential for haze pollution from peatland fires to increase COVID-19 susceptibility a noted concern; and on local economies, livelihoods and food security, where impacts will likely be greater in remote communities with limited/no medical facilities that depend heavily on external trade. Research, training, education, conservation and restoration activities are also being affected, particularly those involving physical groupings and international travel, some of which may result in increased habitat encroachment, wildlife harvesting or fire, and may therefore precipitate longer-term negative impacts, including those relating to disease pandemics. We conclude that sustainable management of tropical peatlands and their wildlife is important for mitigating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reducing the potential for future zoonotic EID emergence and severity, thus strengthening arguments for their conservation and restoration. To support this, we list seven specific recommendations relating to sustainable management of tropical peatlands in the context of COVID-19/disease pandemics, plus mitigating the current impacts of COVID-19 and reducing potential future zoonotic EID risk in these localities. Our discussion and many of the issues raised should also be relevant for non-tropical peatland areas and in relation to other (pandemic-related) sudden socio-economic shocks that may occur in future.

【 授权许可】

CC BY