the economic importance of ecological services provided by b

8/14/2019 The Economic Importance of Ecological Services Provided by b

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The economic importanceof ecological servicesprovided by associatedbiodiversity in agriculturalsystems

Satellite Event CGRFASatellite Event CGRFA

FAO, RomeFAO, Rome

9 November 20049 November 2004


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The concept of biodiversity values

CBD (Rio de Janeiro,1992):the forgotten environmental problem The direct or indirect, economic and non-economic interest agiven species or ecosystem may represent for human populations(actual and future)

Need to quantify the importance of associated biodiversityHigh species richness of associated biodiversity Valuation of functional importance (social & economic benefits)

Still lack of consideration in decision-making and policy agendaNeed to mainstream at national level and in global processes

What are the issues?

Importance of associated biodiversity in agricultural systems Managed and unmanaged associated diversity Examples: beneficial predators, pollinators, soil organisms Enhance awareness of roles & functions and capacity to manage


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Ecosystem goods and servicesprovided by associated diversity

Goods: food, fresh water, fuel wood, fibre, GR, biochemicals

Services: the benefits people obtain from regulation of ecosystemprocesses (climate, disease, hydrological regime, detoxification),support services (soil formation, nutrient cycling, pollination) as wellas other cultural benefits.

These biologically generated services are largely considered to befree; rarely included in analysis of economic benefits to agriculture.

This is the case ofAssociated biodiversity in agricultural systemsHowever it can and should be valued i.e. the benefits quantified.

Examples of: Pollination is fundamental in agriculture (enables plant reproduction and

food production for humans and animals (fruits and seeds;improved seed and fruit quality and quantity)

Soil organisms provide a range of unique ecosystem services:nutrient cycling, decomposition, soil structure, C sequestration,pest control, ....


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Ecological economics:What is the total economic value of associated biodiversity

in agricultural systems?

Direct economicvalues

- Food resources- Species for

specialised markets

(dDelicatessen)

Indirect economicvalues

-Ecosystem services- Recreation & tourism- Education

Present use values Option valuesFuture products:-Food resources- Genetic

resources

- Medicines

Existence andstrategic values- Protectingbiodiversity- Maintaining culture of

local people- Continuing ecological

and evolutionary

processes

Total economic value (TEV)

After Primack (2000)Increasingdifficultiesofeconom

icestimation

TEV = [Use values] + [Option values] + [Non-use values]Use (instrumental) values include direct and indirect economic valuesNon-use values include existence and strategic values


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Value of pollination

Many species provide pollination services - primarily bees, but alsobutterflies, moths, bats, birds, etc. Many important food crops rely on animal pollination, including

fruits and vegetables and fodder. The decline of pollinatorpopulations impacts negatively on crop production (+ food security)

Three types of Values

as an intrinsic ecosystem service conservation/maintenance of surrounding natural ecosystems

(habitat) specific plant/pollinator relationships

in real terms - from increased agricultural yield

improved quality and quantity (fruit set, seeds)

in real terms, as agricultural input value against potential loss of pollination service costs of hand pollination (China) and hive rental (India)


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Value of honeybee pollination

Estimates show that the benefit of using honeybees forenhancing crops yields through cross pollination is muchhigher than their role as produces of honey and beeswax(Partap, 2002).

Estimated value of honeybee pollination (Apis mellifera) to cropproduction:

US agriculture: US$ 14.6 billion (Morse & Calderone 2000).

Canadian agriculture: CDN 1.2 billion (Winston & Scott 1984)

EEC agriculture: US$ 3 billion (Williams, 1992).

New Zealand agriculture: US$ 2.3 billion (Matheson and Schrader,1987).

China agriculture (four major crops - cotton, rapeseed, sunflowerand tea): US$ 0.7 billion. (Partpap, U. 2002)


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Case studies : valuing pollination

China Hand pollination in China (Maoxian county in Hengduan Mountains of

China) e.g. apples and pears.

Provides employment & income generating opportunities to many peopleduring apple flowering season.

Expensive, time consuming and highly unsustainable option for croppollination due to increasing labour scarcity and costs. A large part offarmers income is used in managing pollination of their crop.

Bee-keepers do not rent out their hives, even during the floweringseason, due to excessive use of pesticides

India Bees (Apis cerana orA. mellifera) used in India (Himachal

Pradesh in NW Himalayas) for apple pollination: fees for rentingbee colonies Indian rupees 800/- (US$ 16) per colony for twoweeks. (Partap, 98).


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From Micro-organisms

e.g. bacteria + fungi Micro & meso-faunaprotozoa,

nematodes toacari & springtails

Macro-fauna e.g. ants,

termites, earthworms

Soil BiodiversitySoil Biodiversity

...Roots in the soil and

their interactions with

species above & below

ground


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Indirect uses for food provisioning

Compost

earthworms

Consumptive & productive uses of soil biota

Fishing baits

Food for backyard animal

Manure piles for

compost production

Edible ants (Atta sp.)

Fire smoked motto Primack 2000 IBOY group

Direct uses for food


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Provides manyEcosystem Services

nutrient cycling

regulates the dynamics ofsoil organic matter

soil C sequestration and

reduced GHG emissions

modifies soil physicalstructure and maintains waterregimes

enhances amount/efficiencyof plant nutrient acquisition

These services are essentialto the functioning of natural

ecosystems AND an importantresource for the sustainablemanagement of agricultural

systems (crops, pasture,

Productive and environmental benefitsProductive and environmental benefits

Enhances Agricultural

Production: soil qualityand health and planthealth


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Ecosystem goods

and services

Climate regulation

C storage

Nutrient cycling

Primary productivity

Ecosystem

properties

C stocks

OM turnover

Soilprocesses

Soil structure formation

OM dynamics

Increa

sing

spatialsca

le

Increasing time scaleDecans & Jimnez, after Lavelle et al. 2004

The use / instrumental values of soil biodiversity

Indirect economic values: ecosystem services


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1,542by Pimentel et al. 1997Total

180For example mushrooms, earthworms, small arthropodsOther wild food

6Soils provide nearly half of the current economic benefitof biotechnology related to agriculture: nitrogen fixing

bacteria, pharmaceutical industry, etc.

Biotechnology

25Diverse soil biota facilitate soil formation, e.g.earthworms, termites, fungi, etc.

Soil formation

90Biological nitrogen fixation by diazotroph bacteriaNitrogen fixation

121Maintaining biodiversity in soils and water is imperativeto continued and improved effectiveness of bio-treatment.

Bioremediation of

chemicals

160Soil provide microhabitats for natural enemies of pest, soilbiota (e.g. mycorrhizas) contribute to host plant resistance

and plant pathogens control.

Biocontrol of pests

200Many pollinators may have edaphic phase in theirlifecycle

Pollination

760Saprophytic, litter feeding invertebrates (detritivores),fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes and other micro-organisms

Waste recycling

Economicbenefits (xUS$109 /yr)

Associated biodiversity involvedActivity

Global Economic value of ES by soil biodiversity


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Determining the services from soil biodiversity

Benefits of ecological functions performed by soil organisms

Soil biodiversity is extremely complex (not well understood), however based on

food web or functional domain approaches 4 main functional groups of soil

organisms may be proposed See interaction web below:

Root

feedersSoil

engineers

Litter

transformersor engineers

Litter and soil

predators

Aboveground

predators

Aboveground

herbivores

Brussaard 1998

Soil

properties

Litter

fragmentation

Aggregate

production


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Direct use:Soil invertebrates used as food - high nutritional value

32 Amazonian ethnic groups consume >100 soil invertebratespecies (Paoletti) Up to 60% of animal protein during rainy season for GuahibosAmerindians of Venezuela

Other values of soil biodiversity

Option value:Potential to provide an economic benefit to

human society at some point in the future: For Soil biodiversity:difficult to predict and not yet considered

Existence value:Linked with the concern of people forwildlife conservation. Funds and conservation organisations

for charismatic mega fauna : unlikely for soil bugs, orassociated biodiversity in general

Willingness to Pay (WTP): Valuation method that doesnot include the ecological function of a species


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Scientific and educational value

Journals or web sites for kids

Identification books for

entomologists, etc


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Management practices to enhancevalues of soil biodiversity

Select & improve adapted leguminous varieties with associatedRhizobium bacteria and inoculate for enhanced BNF 40-48 million40-48 million

tons N/yr is fixed in agricultural crops and fields tons N/yr is fixed in agricultural crops and fields

Reduce soil tillage (disturbance of soil fauna, compaction, loss ofporosity/channels, N release): reduce labour, energy, timelinessreduce labour, energy, timeliness

Enhance soil cover: reduce soil temperature, enhance infiltration,soil moisture and OM (roots & mulch): better germination, healthbetter germination, health

& yield& yield

Enhance and vary organic matter supply: maintain pH, enhancemycorrhizae and enhance availability P and micro-nutrients (oftenlimiting e.g. acid soils) and nutrient supply for many organisms

Rotations and mixes of annual and perennial species: variedorganisms, biocontrol e.g. nematodes; root biomass and SOM,deep rooting access to nutrients and moisture

Diversify habitats (buffers, contour strips, field borders, changeland use and sequence varied niches and organisms


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ConsiderationsConsiderations

Multiple values of soil bota and pollinators strong justificationfor increased recognition of their functions and support

How much associated biodiversity is enough to maintainecosystem functioning in agricultural systems?Can we identify strategically important species or

functional groups (local to international levels)Need to focus and prioritise work

What tools and mechanisms are available / required to evaluateand to promote due attention to the economic and social values ofassociated biodiversity? Wider use of Case studies, key

indicators, cost/benefit analysis

How to raise awareness and build capacity at all levels(from users to policy makers) Enhance management andvaluation of services (provided/underutilised)

the economic importance of ecological services provided by b

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