Lecture 7: Understanding hydrological ecosystem services Flashcards
Why value nature
Anthropcentric arguments- species are valuable to people
Biocentric- species possess intrinsic value
Anthropogenic argument = ecosystem services
Natural capital – “the elements of nature that produce value to people”. Capital = resource that is used in producing goods or services (cf. physical capital such as factories and machines, human capital such as knowledge and skills and social capital such as trust and connectedness.
Ecosystem services – “the benefits people derive from ecosystems”
The UNEP Millenium Ecosystem Assessment Classification
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment called for by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2000.
Initiated in 2001, to assess the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. Prior to that we looked at our impacts on nature but not the feed-back to impacts on us
Provides the scientific basis for action to enhance the conservation and sustainable use
The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital Robert Costanza et al. Nature 387:253-260
17 ecosystem services valued for 16 biomes.
Current value of biosphere estimated at :
US$16-54 trillion per year
Global GNP is about US$ 18 trillion per year
US$ 4.7 trillion per year provided by forests
Agriculture and ecosystems:
Further increases in yield cannot come at the expense of hydrological ecosystem services: therefore need to manage landscapes for food provision as well as maintenance of other ecosystem services (esp. hydrological ecosystem services - HES)
The New York City water supply:
watersheds protected to reduce water treatment costs and improve water quality for NYC
