Valuing Biodiversity Flashcards
Ecosystem services
qualitative functions of natural non—produced assets of land, water and air (including related ecosystem) and their biota
Example of assigning economic value to biodiversity
Asian Wild Gour
1 meat harvested from wild populations DIRECT USE
2 nature tourism INDIRECT USE
3 future potential in domestic cattle breeding programs OPTION VALUE
4 intrinsic/cultural/aesthetic value EXISTENCE VALUE
Indirect use values (non-consumptive) (8)
1 ecosystem productivity
2 protection of water and soil resources
3 climate regulation
4 waste treatment and nutrient retention
5 species relationships
6 environmental monitors e.g. ‘lungs of the world’
7 recreation and ecotourism
8 educational ad scientific value
direct use value
consumables
indirect use option
ecological services
e.g.) flood control, C offset, climate control
option value
premium paid to maintain resources for future use
existence value
intrinsic value
e.g.) cultural, spiritual, aesthetic, bequest
costs of maintaining biodiversity
management
collateral e.g. lost of income from land (forestry)
valuing biodiversity economically
The ‘tragedy of the commons’
Some resources are common to everyone
- > over-exploitation of resource
e. g.) catch as many fish as can because the other person isn’t going to catch less
Direct use values: externalities
e.g. intensive farming/loss of trees -> erosion into rivers -> sediment/silt in rivers messes up fisheries
ecological economics and direct economic values:
case study
Yellowstone National Park
Locals mainly rely on ecotourism now
- downside is tourists lead to disturbance of animals, car pollution and a rise in anthropogenic forest fires
4 decades ago extractive industry was also major
- mining & logging
- > cyanide pollution (used to extract from rocks)
- > silt in rivers (logging)
- much more destructive
- would damage ecotourism income
