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Contribution values of biodiversity to ecosystem performances: A viability perspective

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  • Béné, C.
  • Doyen, L.

Abstract

This paper deals with the contribution value of biodiversity to ecosystem performances under a viability approach. Two contrasted cases are considered. First, a no-exploitation situation where the ecosystem performances are measured through the capacity of species richness to maintain the ecosystem above a minimum ecological viability threshold measured through a Shannon index. Second, an exploitation situation where the performances of the ecosystem are measured through its economic sustainability, that is, its capacity to generate direct-use values greater than a minimum guaranteed utility level. The analysis, based on numerical simulations, shows that biodiversity has a positive effect on both ecological and economic performances and that in both cases the marginal contribution of biodiversity is positive. Furthermore, this marginal contribution exhibits maximum values. These maximum values seem however to decrease with the level of species richness. These results show interesting links with two of the main current debates on biodiversity: the Noah's Ark problem and the assumption of decreasing marginal value supported by some recent works on bio-prospecting.

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  • Béné, C. & Doyen, L., 2008. "Contribution values of biodiversity to ecosystem performances: A viability perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1-2), pages 14-23, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:68:y:2008:i:1-2:p:14-23
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    4. David Martin, 2013. "Gender Concerns When Noah the Economist Ranks Biodiversity Policies," Working Papers 13-02, Davidson College, Department of Economics, revised Oct 2016.
    5. repec:dav:journl:y:2016:v:7:i:11:p:1272-1289 is not listed on IDEAS
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    7. Andrés-Domenech, Pablo & Saint-Pierre, Patrick & Smala Fanokoa, Pascaux & Zaccour, Georges, 2014. "Sustainability of the Dry Forest in Androy: A Viability Analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 33-49.
    8. Doyen, L. & Armstrong, C. & Baumgärtner, S. & Béné, C. & Blanchard, F. & Cissé, A.A. & Cooper, R. & Dutra, L.X.C. & Eide, A. & Freitas, D. & Gourguet, S. & Gusmao, F. & Hardy, P.-Y. & Jarre, A. & Litt, 2019. "From no whinge scenarios to viability tree," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 183-188.
    9. Doyen, L. & Thébaud, O. & Béné, C. & Martinet, V. & Gourguet, S. & Bertignac, M. & Fifas, S. & Blanchard, F., 2012. "A stochastic viability approach to ecosystem-based fisheries management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 32-42.
    10. Michel de Lara & Vincent Martinet & Luc Doyen, 2010. "Risk and Sustainability: Is Viability that far from Optimality?," Working Papers hal-04140924, HAL.
    11. Luc DOYEN & Claire ARMSTRONG & Stefan BAUMGARTNER & Christophe BÉNÉ & Fabian BLANCHARD & Abdoul Ahad CISSÉ & Rachel COOPER & Léo DUTA & Debora FREITAS & Sophie GOURGUET & Felipe GUSMAO & Astrid JARRE , 2017. "From no whinge policy to viability tree," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2017-12, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    12. Michel de Lara & Vincent Martinet & Luc Doyen, 2015. "Satisficing versus optimality: criteria for sustainability," Post-Print hal-01123050, HAL.
    13. David Martin, 2014. "An integrated biological and economic individual-based model of tiger protection measures," Working Papers 14-04, Davidson College, Department of Economics, revised Jul 2014.
    14. Sepulveda Salcedo, Lilian Sofia & De Lara, Michel, 2019. "Robust viability analysis of a controlled epidemiological model," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 51-58.
    15. A.A. Cisse & L. Doyen & F. Blanchard & J.C. Pereau, 2013. "Stochastic viability of the coastal fishery in French Guiana," Documents de Travail 2013-07, CEREGMIA, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane.

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