The Nexus between Biodiversity, Climate Change and Human Health in Kenya’s Drylands
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jcp.2524Keywords:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Human Health, DrylandsAbstract
Purpose: The study explores the intricate interplay between ecological diversity, climatic variability, and public health in one of Kenya's most vulnerable regions. The primary purpose of the research is to examine how biodiversity loss and climate change exacerbate health risks in Kenya's drylands, with a focus on identifying critical linkages and adaptive strategies for sustainable solutions.
Methodology: Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative climate and biodiversity data with qualitative insights gathered from community interviews, health records, and participatory observation.
Findings: Findings reveal a strong correlation between declining biodiversity and increased susceptibility to climate-induced health risks such as vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, and water scarcity. Communities relying heavily on natural ecosystems for sustenance and traditional medicine are disproportionately affected, highlighting the critical role of biodiversity in climate resilience and public health.
Unique Contribution to Theory Policy and Practice: The study concludes that the degradation of ecosystems amplifies vulnerabilities, while sustainable management of biodiversity offers a viable path to mitigating health risks. Recommendations emphasize the need for integrated policy frameworks that align biodiversity conservation with climate adaptation and public health strategies. The study advocates for community-driven initiatives, enhanced resource management, and targeted education programs to build resilience in Kenya's drylands. These findings underscore the urgency of addressing interconnected challenges to safeguard ecological and human well-being in the face of climate change.
Downloads
References
Adla, K., Dejan, K., Neira, D., & Dragana, Š. (2022). Degradation of ecosystems and loss of ecosystem services. In One health (pp. 281-327). Academic Press.
Birch, I. (2021). Natural Resource Management and Nutrition on Isiolo and Marsabit Counties, Kenya.
Brito, J. C., Del Barrio, G., & Stellmes, M. (2021). Drivers of change and conservation needs for vertebrates in drylands: An assessment from global scale to Sahara-Sahel wetlands. The European Zoological Journal.
Buitenwerf, R., Parracciani, C., & Svenning, J. C. (2023). Impacts of climate change on vegetation in Kenya: Future projections and implications for protected areas. Land, 12(11), 2052.
Gafna, D. J., Obando, J. A., Kalwij, J. M., Dolos, K., & Schmidtlein, S. (2023). Climate change impacts on the availability of anti-malarial plants in Kenya. Climate Change Ecology, 5, 100070.
Hoover, D. L., Bestelmeyer, B., Grimm, N. B., Huxman, T. E., Reed, S. C., Sala, O., ... & Ferrenberg, S. (2020). Traversing the wasteland: a framework for assessing ecological threats to drylands. BioScience, 70(1), 35-47.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Cambridge University Press. https://www.ipcc.ch
Jain, S., Srivastava, A., Khadke, L., Chatterjee, U., & Elbeltagi, A. (2024). Global-scale water security and desertification management amidst climate change. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(49), 58720-58744.
Kaguai, P. W. (2023). Assessing the Drought Adaptation Strategies and Institutional Interventions in the Pastoral Livelihood System in Narok County, Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Karaya, R. N., Onyango, C. A., & Ogendi, G. M. (2021). A community-GIS supported dryland use and cover change assessment: The case of the Njemps flats in Kenya. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 7(1), 1872852.
Kipkemoi, I. (2024). Impacts of climate and climate change on water and vegetation dynamics in Horn of Africa drylands. University of Bristol.
Lawrence, T. J., Vilbig, J. M., Kangogo, G., & Fèvre, E. M. (2023). Shifting climate zones and expanding tropical and arid climate regions across Kenya (1980–2020). Regional Environmental Change.
Muluneh, M. G. (2021). Impact of climate change on biodiversity and food security: a global perspective a review article. Agriculture & Food Security, 10(1), 1-25.
Oguh, C. E., Obiwulu, E. N. O., Umezinwa, O. J., Ameh, S. E., Ugwu, C. V., & Sheshi, I. M. (2021). Ecosystem and ecological services; need for biodiversity conservation-a critical review. Asian Journal of Biology, 11(4), 1-14.
Omotoso, A. B., Letsoalo, S., Olagunju, K. O., Tshwene, C. S., & Omotayo, A. O. (2023). Climate change and variability in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of trends and impacts on agriculture. Journal of Cleaner Production, 414, 137487.
Rasul, G. (2021). Twin challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and climate change for agriculture and food security in South Asia. Environmental Challenges, 2, 100027.
Semplici, G., & Campbell, T. (2023). The revival of the drylands: Re-learning resilience to climate change from pastoral livelihoods in East Africa. Climate and Development, 15(1), 34-49.
Siddha, S., & Sahu, P. (2022). Impact of climate change on the river ecosystem. In Ecological significance of river ecosystems (pp. 79-104). Elsevier.
Siyum, Z. G. (2020). Tropical dry forest dynamics in the context of climate change: syntheses of drivers, gaps, and management perspectives. Ecological Processes, 9(1), 1-16.
Stringer, L. C., Mirzabaev, A., & Benjaminsen, T. A. (2021). Climate change impacts on water security in global drylands. One Earth, 4(6), 768-782.
Torres, R., Kuemmerle, T., Baumann, M., Romero‐Muñoz, A., Altrichter, M., Boaglio, G. I., ... & Yanosky, A. (2023). Partitioning the effects of habitat loss, hunting and climate change on the endangered Chacoan peccary. Diversity and Distributions.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2020). Impact of climate change on Kenya’s drylands. https://www.undp.org
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2021). Global environmental outlook: Regional reports. UNEP Publishing.
Vidal-Abarca Gutiérrez, M. R., Nicolás-Ruiz, N., Sánchez-Montoya, M. D. M., & Suárez Alonso, M. L. (2023). Ecosystem services provided by dry river socio-ecological systems and their drivers of change. Hydrobiologia, 850(12), 2585-2607.
WHO. (2020). World malaria report 2020. Retrieved from https://www.who.int
World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). World malaria report 2020. https://www.who.int
Yasin, E. H., Siddig, A. A., & Kornel, C. (2024). Biodiversity Conservation in the Era of Climate Change. Sustainable Forest Management-Surpassing Climate Change and Land Degradation: Surpassing Climate Change and Land Degradation, 119.
Yasin, E. H., Siddig, A. A., & Kornel, C. (2024). Forests at the Crossroads: Biodiversity Conservation in the Era of Climate Change.
Zeng, H., Wu, B., Zhang, M., Zhang, N., Elnashar, A., Zhu, L., ... & Liu, W. (2021). Dryland ecosystem dynamic change and its drivers in Mediterranean region. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 48, 59-67.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Abdirizak Arale Nunow
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
