66037 Ecosystem Valuation

Requisite(s): 91363 Animal Behaviour and Physiology AND 91154 Ecology AND 91270 Plant Physiology and Ecophysiology AND 91309 Biodiversity

These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.

Ecosystems provide human societies with a vast range of essential goods and services such as timber, medicines, climate regulation and the purification of air and water. Collectively, these goods and services are termed Ecosystem Services. In this final-year subject students are introduced to techniques for the valuation of Ecosystem Services. The role of biodiversity in the provision of Ecosystem Services is examined and economic, ecological and social/cultural values of ecosystems are explored. Since the concept and valuation of Ecosystem Services is relatively new, there is much scope in this subject for students to develop their conceptual abilities in an environmental framework.

This subject has benefits for students wanting to design their own work schedule around their availability, as it is a web-based subject set in the UTSOnline framework. There are no face-to-face lectures or practical classes because the subject is part of a distance course for a Masters in Ecology and Groundwater Studies. As such, groundwater dependent ecosystems play a key role in illustrating the various techniques for valuing ecosystems.

Typical availability

Spring semester, City campus