Option Value, Substitutable Species, and Ecosystem Services

Persson, Erik

doi:10.5840/enviroethics201638214

Abstract

The concept of ecosystem services is a way of visualizing the instrumental value that nature has for human beings. Most ecosystem services can be performed by more than one species. This fact is sometimes used as an argument against the preservation of species. However, even though substitutability does detract from the instrumental value of a species, it also adds option value to it. The option value cannot make a substitutable species as instrumentally. valuable as a non-substitutable species, but in many cases, it can add enough value to make the species more valuable than the projects that threaten its existence.

Keywords

ecosystem services; philosophy

Published in

Environmental Ethics
2016, volume: 38, number: 2, pages: 165-181
Publisher: ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY INC

SLU Authors

Persson, Erik
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Ethics

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/enviroethics201638214

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/89106