The role of urban ecological networks on health from a one health perspective: a systematic review

Introduction: Ecological networks (ENs) are critical frameworks designed to protect biodiversity, enhance habitat connectivity, and provide ecosystem services in fragmented landscapes. Urban ecological networks (UENs) adapt this concept to address the challenges posed by urbanization, habitat fragmentation, and climate change. Methods: This systematic review follows the PRISMA methodology, with the search strategy applied across PubMed, Scopus, andWeb of Science. Articles published until 29 July 2025, were evaluated based on their alignment with One Health domains: human, animal, and ecosystem health. The included studies underwent independent review and quality assessment using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: Only nine of the 228 articles that were found satisfied the requirements for inclusion. These studies examined UENs’ effects on biodiversity, species migration, and climate resilience but lacked direct evaluation of human health impacts. Key findings highlighted the role of ecological corridors in improving habitat connectivity, promoting biodiversity, and mitigating climate-related fragmentation. Conclusions: While UENs show significant potential to enhance biodiversity and urban resilience, their direct impacts on human health remain underexplored. Future interdisciplinary research should focus on quantifying these links and integrating UENs into urban planning to address ecological and Public Health challenges under a One Health framework.