Zoonotic diseases, or those that jump between animal species and humans, make up the majority of novel infectious diseases and are primarily driven to emerge due to anthropogenic factors including land-use change, climate change, development, and agricultural expansion. However, the specific mechanisms that influence disease transmission, prevalence, and cross-species disease “spillover” are still not elucidated for most diseases and most ecosystems. Our current lack of understanding of these processes impedes our ability to develop and implement mitigation measures.