Lec 32 (Biodiversity part 1) Flashcards
Biodiversity?
The variability among living organisms from all sources
and the ecological complexes of which they are part;
includes diversity within and among species and
ecosystems.
Humans impacts on biodiversity?
• Globally, 25% of mammals and 13% of birds are extinct, threatened, or near threatened
Why do we need to conserve biodiversity?
- Intrinsic value
- Functional value
- Utilitarian value
- “Serendipitous” (potential) value
Potential mechanisms linking biodiversity and ecosystem function?
- Complementarity
- Facilitation
- Sampling effect
- Complementarity?
- Facilitation?
- Sampling effect?
• Complementarity
– Increased coverage of available
niche-space
• Facilitation
– Increased performance with other
species
• Sampling effect
– Increased chance of having ‘great’
species
Ecosystem Function:?
Ecosystem Goods and Services?
“the habitat, biological or system properties or
processes of ecosystems”.
“the benefits human populations derive, directly
or indirectly, from ecosystem functions”.
Often referred simply as “ecosystem services”
Ecosystem Functions → ?
Ecosystem Goods and Services
Ecosystem services?
“…functions provided by nature that
improve and sustain human wellbeing”
Ecosystem services is often broken down into four subcategories… (what do we get fro nature)
- Provisioning
- Regulating
- Cultural
- Supporting
Ecosystem Services: Provisioning?
The delivery/production of products we need:
- Food
- Energy
- Water
- Minerals
- Medical compounds
Ecosystem Services: Regulating?
Services provided that regulate our environment.
• Decomposition • Water purification • CO2 sequestration • Pest control • Flood prevention
Ecosystem Services: SupportingÉ
The provision of ecosystem processes needed to support life and all other ecosystem services.
- Primary production
- Nutrient cycling
- Soil formation
Ecosystem Services: Cultural?
“Non-material” benefits that enrich the human experience.
– Spiritual and religious
– Recreation
– Aesthetic
– Heritage
How can we measure ecosystem
services?
Put a price on it…Natural capital or Ecosystem valuation
Natural capital?
Ecosystem valuation?
the summation of all of the
ecosystem services on Earth, available to us for
free.
the assignment of
economic value to an ecosystem or ecosystem
services.
Ecosystem valuation often represents?
- The monetary cost of replacing the
ecosystem service. - The monetary value of the capital gained
from the resource
Ecosystem Valuation examples?
Timber
Carbon storage
Polination
Rangeland
Water purification
Ecosystem Valuation and timber?
Value of the timber produced
– Pulp
– Saw-logs
– Veneer
Ecosystem Valuation: Carbon Storage?
How much carbon is stored in forests..
Takes into account succession in forests and is
valued as the market cost of carbon
Ecosystem Valuation: Pollination?
In Alberta, mainly focused on pollination of canola
Fields must be 1km from undeveloped land to attract wild bees
Valued as the improvement in yield as a result of wild-bee pollination
Ecosystem Valuation: Rangeland?
Includes the value of forage production (for cattle) and
carbon storage
Forage was price to replace with commercial feed
Based on soil, climate, and history of grazing (carbon)
Ecosystem Valuation: Water Purification?
Quantity of sediment and excess nutrients (P and N)
in surface waters.
Value of removal of sediment and nutrients by ecosystems
The tragedy of the Commons?
an economic theory involving a shared resource in which each individual acts independents according to their own best interest, contrary to the common good
of all users, by depleting or spoiling a resource.
Human Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services?
- Habitat loss (degradation & fragmentation)
- Climate change
- Over-exploitation
- Pollution
- Invasive species
