[Personal View] Safeguarding natural ecosystems can protect population health: advancing approaches to bridge the health–ecology divide

Human health stands to benefit from a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which ecosystems affect health and wellbeing. However, achieving this understanding requires overcoming conceptual and practical challenges in both public health and ecology. Despite growing recognition of the importance of natural ecosystems for human health, the health sector has yet to fully integrate this ever-growing body of evidence to inform policy and practice. Substantial conceptual differences underpin the disciplinary divide between health and ecology.