The achievements and progress beyond state of the art at this stage are the identification of key landscape metrics for measuring impacts of landscape composition on biodiversity in WP1. The five metrics most frequently used in this context are: Number of patches, Edge density, Total edge, Mean patch area and Landscape shape index.
The systematic literature review conducted in WP2 has substantially deepened our understanding on how ongoing LULC changes, current zoonotic outbreaks and risks, are linked to the broader socio-economic and behavioural dynamics that may contribute to the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases.
WP3 has implemented a novel, harmonized, multi-taxa biodiversity and sampling framework including methodological protocols for rodent, arthropod, and soil sampling as well as vegetation and macrobiodiversity monitoring across diverse ecosystems in Europe and Latin America. In WP4, key methodological outputs included high-throughput serological assays for rodent and human samples, a metagenomics pipeline tailored to ZOE’s diverse samples, and innovative use of mosquito excreta for cost-effective pathogen surveillance—together representing a significant advancement in scalability, sensitivity, and cross-species applicability. The integration of macro-organism sampling with environmental metadata, microbial profiling, and social context (via WP2 and WP4) offers a novel systems-level approach to zoonotic risk assessment.
The ecological niche modelling workflows developed in WP5 incorporate state-of-the-art modelling techniques, such as the simultaneous consideration of multiple host species, enabling host-switching potential. Additionally, the introduction of seasonally resolved habitat suitability mapping allows for dynamic, time-specific risk assessments, moving beyond traditional static models. The resulting risk maps and predictive tools represent exploitable outputs that can inform early warning systems, public health planning, and targeted surveillance strategies.
Finally, a wide range of tools and communication channels established by ZOE and the sister project RESTOREID are facilitating broad dissemination of project results to research communities, stakeholders, and the public. A major achievement beyond state of the art is the development of the integrative knowledge exchange platform (www.biodiv-health-kep.com). This is further supported by ZOE’s open-science project management infrastructure, which promotes transparency, responsiveness, and scientific excellence from an early stage through multi-tiered governance and the use of OSF.
