Coexistence Nexus in practice: integrating One Health into the food-biodiversity challenge in Central America

Marina Voinson, Silvio J Crespin, Danilo Escobar, Miguel Moreno, Luis Castillo, Elizabeth Monserrath Coto Hernandez, Jorge E Garcia-Villata, Miriam A Gonzales Perez, Ricardo Rios, Kenia Romero, V. Sorto, J. G. Mejia Valencia, Marine Combe, Rodolphe E. Gozlan

Reconciling biodiversity conservation, food security, and human health remains a major sustainability challenge, largely because these dimensions are often examined in isolation. Here, we present an integrated analytical framework that extends coexistence theory by explicitly incorporating zoonotic emergence within a One Health perspective. Using Central America as a case study, we combine spatial indicators of anthropogenic pressure, livestock density, biodiversity, and disease occurrence to identify convergence zones of socio-ecological vulnerability. Our analyses reveal non-linear interactions and asymmetries among coexistence parameters, underscoring that zoonotic emergence arises from constellations of pressures rather than single drivers. We further show how integrated vulnerability mapping can translate this conceptual framework into operational tools, highlighting areas where interventions are likely to yield the greatest co-benefits. Overall, this approach provides a transferable method for identifying leverage points where targeted actions can simultaneously reduce disease risk, strengthen food security, and support biodiversity conservation. By reframing sustainability challenges through an explicitly integrated One Health lens, it offers a practical pathway for guiding policy and land-use strategies toward more resilient socio-ecological systems.