1. Conclusions: Diversity and Ecosystem Function
Plant production may decline as regional and local diversity declines
Ecosystem resistance to environmental perturbations, such as drought, may be lessened as biodiversity is reduced
Ecosystem processes such as soil nitrogen levels, water use, plant productivity, and pest and disease cycles may become more variable as diversity declines.
From: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: Maintaining Natural Life Support Processes. Naeem, S. et al. Issues in Ecology Report 4, Ecological Society of America

2. Lyme Disease

3. Ecosystem Services: The Dilution Effect

4. Ecosystem Services regulation of disease carrying organisms
purification of air and water
mitigation of droughts and floods
generation and preservation of soils and renewal of their fertility
detoxification and decomposition of wastes
pollination of crops and natural vegetation / dispersal of seeds
cycling and movement of nutrients
control of the vast majority of potential agricultural pests
maintenance of biodiversity
protection of coastal shores from erosion by waves
partial stabilization of climate / moderation of weather extremes

5. Why Conserve Biodiversity?
Utilitarian Perspective
Ecosystem services or function, Potential importance to humans.
Ethical Perspective
Biodiversity is inherently valuable

6. The “Value” of Biodiversity
“Biodiversity is not adequately protected because its value is not included in the market signals that guide economic decisions . . .” – Meffe and Carroll

7. Market Failure Supply curve Supply curve Quantity Q + externalities Q’
Demand curve
P P’
Price

8. Economic Value
“[The] value of an ecosystem function or service relates only to the contribution it makes to human welfare, where human welfare is measured in terms of each individual's own assessment of his or her well-being.”
Bockstael et al., Environ. Sci. Technol., 34 (8), , 2000.

9. Calculating the Value of Nature
Total economic value = Use Value + Option Value + Existence Value
Use value
Direct = benefits derived from harvested resources
Indirect = non-harvested ecosystem services
Option value = potential benefit from future use
Existence value = intrinsic value / right to exist

10. Economic Benefits of Intact Natural Systems
Traditional Uses
Forestry
Ranching
Fisheries
Crops (resistance)*
Medicine*
Waste Treatment
Public Health
Ecotourism and Recreation
Climatic Stability
Direct Use values
*Option values
Indirect Use values

11. Medicine
118 / 150 prescription drugs used in the United States are based on natural sources (9 / top ten)
74% plants, 18% fungi, 5% bacteria, 3% 1 snake
The commercial value of pharmaceuticals in the developed nations exceeds $40 billion per year
~ 85% of traditional medicine involves the use of plant extracts (affects 80% of humans)
From: Ecosystem Services: Benefits Supplied to Human Societies by Natural Ecosystems. G.C. Daily et al. Issues in Ecology Report 4, Ecological Society of America

12. The Value of Fisheries Fish is the leading source of animal protein
The value of the U.S. freshwater sport fishery is about 46 billion US $
The annual world fish catch is valued between billion US $
Nine of the world’s major marine fishing areas are in decline due to overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction.
From: Ecosystem Services: Benefits Supplied to Human Societies by Natural Ecosystems. G.C. Daily et al. Issues in Ecology Report 4, Ecological Society of America

13. Tragedy of the Commons $ (Revenue or Cost) Cost Max Profit Revenue
Effort

14. “Bush Meat”
“The east and southern Africa region is facing a serious decline of most its wildlife populations ... the use and trade of so-called ‘bush meat’ is believed to be one of the greatest direct causes of this decline.” - TRAFFIC
Robinson, J. G., K. H. Redford, and E. L. Bennett Wildlife Harvest in Logged Tropical Forests. Science 284:

15. The Value of Elephants in Kenya
Tourists spend $200M/yr in Kenya
Tourists rate seeing elephants as worth 13% of their trip
Elephants in Kenya are worth $25M/yr
Poaching has reduced elephants by 50%
Poaching could cost $25M/yr

16. The Value of Ecosystem Services
Value ( Billions)
Gas Regulation
1,341
Climate Regulation
684
Disturbance Regulation
1,779
Water Regulation
1,115
Water Supply
1,692
Erosion Control
576
Soil Formation 53
Nutrient Cycling
17,075
Waste Treatment
2,277
Pollination
117
Biological Control
417
Refugia
124
Food
1,386
Raw Materials
721
Genetic Resources 79
Recreation
815
Cultural
3,015
TOTAL
33,268