EnviroAtlas

EnviroAtlas Eco-Health Relationship Browser

  • The Eco-Health Relationship Browser illustrates scientific evidence for linkages between human health and ecosystem services. 
  • This interactive tool provides information about several of our nation's major ecosystems, the services they provide, and how those services, or their degradation and loss, may affect people.
  • View the Browser demo video to get a brief introduction to the Browser's components and navigation.

Launch the Eco-Health Browser

Explore the services ecosystems provide and their impact on human health

  • Scientific studies have documented many tangible and intangible services and health benefits that are provided by our surrounding ecosystems.
  • Ecosystems such as wetlands and forests provide a wide variety of goods and services, many of which we use every day.
  • Some of these services, such as air filtration, are not obvious and therefore it may be hard to understand the impact they have on our daily lives.

A broad selection of recent evidence

  • Many of the cited studies do not prove cause-and-effect relationships, but highlight statistically significant, plausible associations in space and time.
  • Inconclusive findings have been noted; such studies, as well as issues of causality, can be explored through the online bibliography.
  • Summarized results from health studies reflect statistical controls for socioeconomic conditions.
  • Documentation of the literature review and inclusion criteria for this tool appears in the International Journal of Public Health, July, 2013 (DOI 10.1007/s00038-013-0482-1).
  • For more information, contact Laura Jackson at jackson.laura@epa.gov.