NRE 552: ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Fall 2015 Tu & Th, 1 2:30pm, Dana 1028 Description: This course will evaluate the scientific, economic, and programmatic basis for ecosystem services, which represent the sum of all goods and services that natural and managed ecosystems provide to humanity. Sometimes referred to as Earth's natural capital, ecosystem services include direct provisioning of goods like food, wood, and freshwater, regulating services such as climate regulation or pest control, and cultural services like recreation and tourism. The idea that ecosystems have natural capital has become increasingly prominent over the past decade as scientists, economists, and politicians have considered how to account for the values of ecosystems that are not included in traditional economic markets. This class will explore the ways in which ecosystem services are measured and related to basic ecological processes, how those services are valued and monetized, and how services are provided by government and private programs. Theoretical and practical concepts will be reinforced by student led case studies that provide 'real world' examples of ecosystem services being valued, including payment for ecosystem services programs, biodiversity offsets, certification schemes, and REDD+. Objectives: After this course, students will understand (1) the history and rise of the ecosystem services concept, (2) the scientific data that does, and does not, support the idea that ecosystems provide goods and services to humanity, (3) the approaches by which we evaluate ecosystem services, including economic models and decision making tools, (4) the national and international incentives, institutions, and governance systems that have been set up to manage ecosystem services. Each of these goals will be reinforced by in depth examples of ecosystem services and hands on quantitative applications. Instructors: Dr. Bradley Cardinale Professor Sch Nat Res & Environ 1068 Dana bradcard@umich.edu Office hours: Tu/Th 2:30 3:30pm Dr. Michael Moore Professor Sch Nat Res & Environ 3516 Dana micmoore@umich.edu Office hours: Mon 12 1pm, Thurs 3 4pm Course materials: The course does not use a textbook, though we do suggest several books as additional reading for those who are interested in developing a library on ecosystem services [1 3]. We will, however, require that students read a number of contemporary papers that reinforce ideas presented in lecture. These papers will be posted as Adobe pdf's on CTools to accompany each lecture, and the material in these papers will be covered in the two midterm exams. Note: If any student feels that he/she may need an accommodation for any type of disability, please make an appointment to talk with either of the professors during their office hours. 1
COURSE SCHEDULE Date Lecture topic Readings Notes Part 1. Ecology of Ecosystem Functions & Services Tu, 9/8 Introduction to ecosystem services [4, 5] Th, 9/10 Ecosystem functions: The supporting services [6, 7] Tu, 9/15 Biotic control on ecosystem functioning [8, 9] Th, 9/17 Quantifying ecological process functions [10] computer exercise Tu, 9/22 Provisioning & regulating services [11, 12] Th, 9/24 Cultural services of ecosystems [13] Tu, 9/29 Biodiversity s contribution to ecosystem [14] services Th, 10/1 Ecological production functions computer exercise Tu, 10/6 Midterm exam I Part 2. Economic Valuation of Services Th, 10/8 Economic perspectives: Accounting & valuation [15 18] Tu, 10/13 Travel cost: concepts & applications [19 21] Th, 10/15 Travel cost example: Case study & intro to exercise simple linear relationships via OLS Tu, 10/20 NO CLASS (fall study break) Th, 10/22 Quantitative exercise 1 deadline for project meeting with profs Tu, 10/27 Hedonic pricing: concepts & applications [20, 22] Th, 10/29 Hedonic price example: Case study & intro to exercise non linear relationships & correlated variables exercise 1 due Tu, 11/3 Quantitative exercise 2 project proposal due Th, 11/5 Contingent valuation: concepts and applications [23 27] Tu, 11/10 Continent valuation example: Case study & exercise 2 due intro to exercise Th, 11/12 Quantitative exercise 3 Tu, 11/17 Optimization & tradeoffs in ecosystem services [28, 29] optimization & tradeoffs Th, 11/19 Analyzing land use tradeoffs [30, 31] exercise 3 due Tu, 11/24 Midterm exam II Th, 11/26 NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Day) Tu, 12/1 Programs for ecosystem services and their evaluation [32, 33] Part 3. Student Presentations Th, 12/3 Tu, 12/8 Th, 12/10 Fri, 12/11 Projects due by 2 pm 2
Readings 1. Daily, G.C., Nature's services: Societal dependence on natural ecosystems. 1997, Washington, D.C.: Island Press. xx, 392 p. 2. Kareiva, P., et al., eds. Natural Capital: Theory & Practice of Mapping Ecosystem Services. 2011, Oxford University Press. 3. Heal, G.M., et al., Valuing Ecosystem Services: Toward Better Environmental Decision Making. 2005, Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. 4. Mooney, H.A. and P.R. Ehrlich, Ecosystem services: A fragmentary history, in Ecosystem Services: Societal Dependence on Natural Ecosystems, G.C. Daily, Editor. 1997, Island Press: Washington D.C. p. 11 19. 5. Kremen, C. and R.S. Ostfeld, A call to ecologists: measuring, analyzing, and managing ecosystem services. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2005. 3(10): p. 540 548. 6. MEA, The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Ecosystems and human well being: Synthesis. 2005, World Resources Institute: Washington D.C. p. 86. 7. Carpenter, S.R., et al., Science for managing ecosystem services: Beyond the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009. 106(5): p. 1305 1312. 8. Chapin, F.S., et al., Biotic control over the functioning of ecosystems. Science, 1997. 277(5325): p. 500 504. 9. Kremen, C., Managing ecosystem services: what do we need to know about their ecology? Ecology Letters, 2005. 8(5): p. 468 479. 10. Cardinale, B.J., et al., The functional role of producer diversity in ecosystems. American Journal of Botany, 2011. 98(3): p. 572 592. 11. Costanza, R., et al., The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 1997. 387(6630): p. 253 260. 12. Costanza, R., et al., Changes in the global value of ecosystem services. Global Environmental Change, 2014. 26(0): p. 152 158. 13. Cardinale, B.J., et al., Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity. Nature, 2012. 14. Daniel, T.C., et al., Contributions of cultural services to the ecosystem services agenda. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012. 109(23): p. 8812 8819. 15. 1. Daily, G.C., Nature's services: Societal dependence on natural ecosystems. 1997, Washington, D.C.: Island Press. xx, 392 p. 2. Kareiva, P., et al., eds. Natural Capital: Theory & Practice of Mapping Ecosystem Services. 2011, Oxford University Press. 3. Heal, G.M., et al., Valuing Ecosystem Services: Toward Better Environmental Decision Making. 2005, Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. 4. Mooney, H.A. and P.R. Ehrlich, Ecosystem services: A fragmentary history, in Ecosystem Services: Societal Dependence on Natural Ecosystems, G.C. Daily, Editor. 1997, Island Press: Washington D.C. p. 11 19. 5. Kremen, C. and R.S. Ostfeld, A call to ecologists: measuring, analyzing, and managing ecosystem services. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2005. 3(10): p. 540 548. 6. MEA, The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Ecosystems and human well being: Synthesis. 2005, World Resources Institute: Washington D.C. p. 86. 7. Carpenter, S.R., et al., Science for managing ecosystem services: Beyond the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009. 106(5): p. 1305 1312. 3
8. Chapin, F.S., et al., Biotic control over the functioning of ecosystems. Science, 1997. 277(5325): p. 500 504. 9. Kremen, C., Managing ecosystem services: what do we need to know about their ecology? Ecology Letters, 2005. 8(5): p. 468 479. 10. Cardinale, B.J., et al., The functional role of producer diversity in ecosystems. American Journal of Botany, 2011. 98(3): p. 572 592. 11. Costanza, R., et al., The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 1997. 387(6630): p. 253 260. 12. Costanza, R., et al., Changes in the global value of ecosystem services. Global Environmental Change, 2014. 26(0): p. 152 158. 13. Daniel, T.C., et al., Contributions of cultural services to the ecosystem services agenda. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012. 109(23): p. 8812 8819. 14. Cardinale, B.J., et al., Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity. Nature, 2012. Grades Grades will be based on two midterm exams (100 pts each), three quantitative exercises (33 pts each), and a student project (100 pts). Grades will be assigned according to the scale: A 90%, B 80 89%, C 70 79%, D 60 69%, F < 60%. Please note that these are minimum requirements to achieve a given grade. The instructors reserve the right to adjust or curve individual assignments and/or final cumulative grades upwards should the distributions be lower than expected. Midterm exams (2 exams x 100 pts ea. = 200 pts = one half of grade). Exams will cover definitions, recognition of concepts, application of conceptual frameworks, and comprehension of readings. Exam format may vary from multiple choice to essay. Quantitative exercises (3 exercises x 33 pts ea. ~ 100 pts = one fourth of grade). The exercises involve computer based application of statistical methods to estimate ecological production functions and economic demand/valuation functions. The goal of the exercises is to develop insight and skill in use of common quantitative tools in ecology and economics. Student projects (100 pts = one fourth of grade). The goal of student projects is to get individuals actively working on a case study in which they use the concepts and tools that were taught in class to evaluate ecosystem services. This project has a lot of freedom and creativity associated with it, as students can complete any project that is pre approved by the professors. Students will work in small, self selected groups of ~2 4 individuals. Grading for projects is divided into three parts: 1. Pre approval and proposal (20 pts). Each group must meet with one of the two professors by Oct 22 to discuss their project idea(s) and get feedback and approval. After pre approval, groups will submit a 1 page proposal by Nov 3 clearly stating the goal(s) of the project and giving an outline of how the project will be completed. Group projects should also include a list of responsibilities or tasks for each individual. 2. Project (50 pts). Each group must turn in a digital or physical hard copy of their project in a format that can be graded by the professor (report, map, etc.). The final project is due Friday, 11 Dec by 2pm on CTools and by hard copy to professors. 4
3. Class presentation (30 pts). Each group will give a 20 min Powerpoint presentation on their project to the class. Presentations will be 15 min with 5 min for questions (20 min. total). Examples of past projects: Using ecological fisheries models to value the 'spillover' effect in marine protected areas (MPA's). Using insurance models of property damage to evaluate the benefits of wetlands for storm mitigation. Using InVEST to analyze the trade off between carbon sequestration and timber harvest. Using travel cost methods to calculate the recreational value of coral reef fish diversity. Using hedonic pricing to determine how harmful algal blooms impact waterfront housing prices. Assessing how climate change will impact the cost of producing maple syrup in the N.E. United States. 5