How does disease contribute to biodiversity loss among wild species?

Disease is a significant driver of biodiversity loss, contributing to the decline and extinction of wild species by disrupting population stability and triggering broader ecological consequences. While some diseases occur naturally, human activities—such as global food and pet trade networks—often facilitate their spread, turning localized pathogens into global threats.12

A primary example is amphibian chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease that has been implicated in the extinction or severe population decline of hundreds of amphibian species worldwide. By infecting the skin of frogs and other amphibians, the fungus disrupts essential physiological functions like gas exchange and electrolyte balance, often leading to cardiac arrest. The loss of these species can cause a trophic cascade, where the decline of a prey species negatively impacts predators, such as snakes, thereby reducing overall biodiversity within an ecosystem.12

Furthermore, global warming can exacerbate these threats by altering climatic conditions, which may expand the geographic ranges of disease vectors like insects and rodents, facilitating the spread of infectious diseases into new, vulnerable populations.3