Preferences for forest-based biodiversity and ecosystem insurance services in the Hainich National Park region (Thuringia, Germany)
Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: It is a challenge to estimate economic benefits of biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services to society. This is particularly the case if biodiversity and functioning ecosystems are considered as ecological insurance to society and human-well being because it is an unfamiliar benefit. In the following, the ecological insurance provided by biodiversity and functioning ecosystems is brought into focus as protection against risks. Besides more or less known risks such as invasive species, pest outbreaks, diseases and storm risks, less known risks such as some effects of climate change or even less unknown risks exist. For so called Pythia- und Pandora risks (WBGU 1999:10) it is principally unknown if, how, when, where, and how badly they strike. These risks are unknown. If they occur, they may cause potentially catastrophic disruptions in the provisioning of humans with ecosystem services. It has been shown that at least partial ecological insurance against such risks is possible, mainly by biological diversity and, more generally, the capacity of ecological systems to self-organise. But how much social and economic resources should be committed to ecological insurance ? A Choice Experiment (CE) (stated preference method) was used to quantify economic preferences for forest biodiversity-based ecosystem insurance services in the area of Hainich National Park, Thuringia (Germany).
Author: Rajmis, Sandra
Institution: University of Göttingen
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W290913574