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Vultures 2: The Return of the Keystone Species!

In my previous post, I discussed an example of “One Health Economics before One Health” with a presentation of the analysis by Markandya et al. (2007) of the human health impact of vulture population collapse in India during the 1990s due to the overuse of diclofenac in cattle. Interestingly, just two weeks after my post, an astute reader pointed out in the comments that Catrin Einhorn had just written about this very subject in the New York Times. Her article highlights new research, recently published in the  American Economic Review, one of the top journals in economics. This research, authored by Eyal Frank and Anant Sudarshan, builds on the same issue discussed by Markandya et al. (2007), but with two major advancements: one methodological, the other conceptual.

A Data-Driven Approach to Vulture Decline and Human Health

The new paper employs far more precise data than the original study, including  district-level mortality rates, pharmaceutical sales records, vulture habitat suitability maps, and water quality data. By distinguishing between areas where vultures were presumably abundant and those where they were not, the authors rigorously quantify the actual effects of vulture population decline on human health. Their main finding, using a difference-in-differences   econometric method, reveals a 4.7% increase in all-cause mortality (including deaths from rabies, water- and air-borne infectious diseases, and air quality issues) in high vulture-suitability areas. This increase in mortality is then converted into a monetary value of   $69.4 billion per year, using the Value of a Statistical Life method, with an estimate of the cost of an additional death in India at $665,000.

Human Health Through the Lens of Keystone Species

Another key contribution of the paper is its emphasis on the role of keystone species, inspired by Robert Paine’s (1969) definition: “Such species exert an influence on the structure and functioning of an ecosystem far out of proportion to their relative abundance or biomass”.

Frank and Sudarshan present the Indian vulture as a perfect example of a keystone species whose critical role in both ecosystems and human health becomes starkly evident once the species is removed. This insight underscores the need to better anticipate the adverse effects of new chemicals, particularly on keystone species.

©Marvel, 1963

Lessons for One Health Economics?

This research not only confirms the intuition of the original 2007 paper with strong data and rigorous methodology but also brings attention to the concept of keystone species as a focal point for the One Health approach. Although few publications directly connect these two concepts, the link is evident in numerous examples – such as the restoration of gray wolves in North America and their positive impact on controlling infectious diseases.  

From a One Health Economics perspective, the framework could offer tools to both assess the value of ecosystem services lost due to the collapse of keystone species and to   conduct cost-benefit analysis on the relevance of conserving these species. This would involve weighing conservation or restoration costs against the burden of human health impacts of the disparition of such species. Moreover, economic mechanisms like Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) could be developed to incentivize stakeholders to protect keystone species, thereby benefiting both environmental and public health.

Disclaimer: My review is based on the working paper version of this research, as the final version published in the American Economic Review is not yet available through my university’s database. I will update this post if needed once I have access to the final version.

References:  

Frank, E., & Sudarshan, A. (2024).  The Social Costs of Keystone Species Collapse: Evidence from the Decline of Vultures in India . American Economic Review, 114(10), 3007-3040.

Paine, R.T. (1969).  A Note on Trophic Complexity and Community Stability . The American Naturalist, 103(929), 91-93.


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Marc Leandri (8 octobre 2024). Vultures 2: The Return of the Keystone Species! One Health Economics (OHE). Consulté le 9 juillet 2025 à l’adresse https://1healthecon.hypotheses.org/417


Marc Leandri

Health and Environmental Economist @UMI SOURCE - IRD Associate Professor, UVSQ - Université Paris Saclay

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