Is disease ecology important? Who funds disease ecology research?
In 2001, the National Research Council identified “infectious disease and the environment” to be one of four areas of environmental science research most deserving of immediate research investment. According to the NRC, an initiative is needed “to develop a comprehensive ecological and evolutionary understanding of infectious and environmental diseases.” “The challenge is to understand ecological and evolutionary aspects of infectious diseases; develop an understanding of the interactions among pathogens, hosts/receptors, and the environment; and thus make it possible to prevent changes in the infectivity and virulence of organisms that threaten plant, animal, and human health at the population level. Important research areas include examining the effects of environmental changes as selection agents on pathogen virulence and host resistance; exploring the impacts of environmental change on disease etiology, vectors, and toxic organisms; developing new approaches to surveillance and mon
