Forest biodiversity and structure modulate human health benefits and risks

Loïc Gillerot (), Dries Landuyt, Audrey Bourdin, Kevin Rozario, Taylor Shaw, Matthias Steinparzer, Katarzyna Stojek, Tosca Vanroy, Ana Gabriela Cuentas Romero, Sandra Müller, Rachel R. Y. Oh, Tobias Proß, Damien Bonal, Aletta Bonn, Helge Bruelheide, Douglas Godbold, Daniela Haluza, Hervé Jactel, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Katriina Kilpi, Melissa R. Marselle, Quentin Ponette, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Pieter Frenne, Bart Muys and Kris Verheyen
Additional contact information
Loïc Gillerot: Ghent University
Dries Landuyt: Ghent University
Audrey Bourdin: UMR Biogeco
Kevin Rozario: Friedrich Schiller University
Taylor Shaw: University of Freiburg
Matthias Steinparzer: BOKU University
Katarzyna Stojek: University of Warsaw
Tosca Vanroy: Ghent University
Ana Gabriela Cuentas Romero: University of Freiburg
Sandra Müller: University of Freiburg
Rachel R. Y. Oh: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
Tobias Proß: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Damien Bonal: UMR Silva
Aletta Bonn: Friedrich Schiller University
Helge Bruelheide: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Douglas Godbold: BOKU University
Daniela Haluza: Medical University Vienna
Hervé Jactel: UMR Biogeco
Bogdan Jaroszewicz: University of Warsaw
Katriina Kilpi: BOS+
Melissa R. Marselle: University of Surrey
Quentin Ponette: Université Catholique de Louvain
Michael Scherer-Lorenzen: University of Freiburg
Pieter Frenne: Ghent University
Bart Muys: KU Leuven
Kris Verheyen: Ghent University

Nature Sustainability, 2025, vol. 8, issue 5, 485-497

Abstract: Abstract The benefits and risks of forests to human health are widely recognized. Yet, variation across forest types and their ecological characteristics driving health effects remain underexplored. Based on a continental-scale, interdisciplinary empirical database from 164 European forest stands, we constructed a Bayesian Belief Network to quantify seven causal pathways relating distinct forest types to physical and mental health. These forest–health pathways included mental well-being via visual or auditory stimuli, thermal comfort, polyphenol content of medicinal plants, mushrooms and nutrition, air quality, and ticks and Lyme disease. Results show that forests consistently provide net health benefits regardless of their ecological characteristics. Forest canopy density and tree species diversity emerge as key drivers, but their effect size and directionality are strongly pathway-dependent. Changes in forest canopy density can generate trade-offs. For example, forests optimized for heat buffering and air pollution mitigation may compromise medicinal plant yield and enhance Lyme disease prevalence. Tree diversity effects were weaker but more uniformly positive. Therefore, forest management should account for such trade-offs to tailor forest biodiversity and functioning to local public health priorities.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01547-3

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