Valuing Ecosystem Services : Toward Better Environmental Decision-Making Paperback / softback

Nutrient recycling, habitat for plants and animals, flood control, and water supply are among the many beneficial services provided by aquatic ecosystems.

In making decisions about human activities, such as draining a wetland for a housing development, it is essential to consider both the value of the development and the value of the ecosystem services that could be lost.

Despite a growing recognition of the importance of ecosystem services, their value is often overlooked in environmental decision-making.

This report identifies methods for assigning economic value to ecosystem services?even intangible ones?and calls for greater collaboration between ecologists and economists in such efforts. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 Introduction2 The Meaning of Value and Use of Economic Valuation in theEnvironmental Policy Decision-Making Process3 Aquatic and Related Terrestrial Ecosystems4 Methods of Nonmarket Valuation5 Translating Ecosystem Functions to the Value of EcosystemServices: Case Studies6 Judgement, Uncertainty, and Valuation7 Ecosystem Valuation: Synthesis and Future DirectionsAppendix A: Summary of Related NRC ReportsAppendix B: Household Production Function ModelsAppendix C: Production Function ModelsAppendix D: Committee and Staff Biographical Information