New on AAAS: Biodiveristy and the Spread of Disease

Biodiversity matters when it comes to susceptibility to disease. A recent study shows a richer assortment of amphibians in a pond means more protection against the spread of a parasite that causes limb deformities. The findings support the long-held theory that biodiversity in an ecosystem dampens the spread of pathogens, and may also apply to diseases that affect humans. Read the whole story  (pdf or link).