Publisher :
Place of publication :
Publication year : 0
Thematic : Ecological Economics
Language : English
Note
Ecosystem functions are a central topic of environmental valuation research. Lay
respondents are usually unfamiliar with the implications of scientific descriptions of
ecosystem functioning. Thus, the applicability of stated preference methods for the
valuation of ecosystem functions is a matter of debate. In the general discourse on the
economic valuation of ecosystem functions, it was suggested to valuate ecosystem
functions via the ecosystem services they provide. In this contribution, we argue that the
recognition of this principle is the key also for the applicability of stated preference methods
to the valuation of ecosystem functions. Successful application requires a precise
differentiation between the descriptive realm of ecosystem functions and the evaluative
realm of ecosystem services. On this basis, an ecosystem service approach for the economic
valuation of ecosystem functions is introduced.
We illustrate the ecosystem service approach by the valuation of a hydrological ecosystem
function in rural Indonesia. Identification and representation of the ecosystem services
were based on extensive investigations of respondent perception of hydrological
phenomena. The availability of irrigation water during the dry season turned out to be a
locally decisive ecosystem service. Within the case study, willingness-to-pay (WTP) values
were estimated for changes in the availability of irrigation water, rattan, shading in cacao
plantations, and in the population of an endemic mammal by Nested Logit (NL) analysis of
choice experiment data. Only few respondents lacked sufficient familiarity of the environmental goods to be valued. WTP for a reduction in water scarcity by one month was
~39–40,000 Indonesian Rupiah/household/year. A rating of respondent comprehension
correlates with preferences for water availability. For respondents with above average
comprehension (rated 4 versus mean of 3.12 at a 5-point scale), NL analysis predicts a 14.1%
increase in WTP. Interactions of attitudinal constructs support the notion that the WTP
estimate is an expression of underlying values and risk perceptions.
The ecosystem service approach comes at a cost. Because ecosystem services relevant to
local respondents are valued rather than scientifically described ecosystem functions,
typical ‘basic science’ models that represent ecosystem functioning cannot be used for the
analysis of valuation scenarios with direct policy relevance. Engineering-type models that
embody technical and, in our case study, agronomic knowledge are necessary to bridge the
gap between ecosystem functioning and their practical implications. A lack of this kind of
information also hinders a meaningful application of alternative valuation approaches.
Go to source
Keywords : Nycteris javanica
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
