University of Technology SydneyHandbook 2007

66037 Ecosystem Valuation

6cp; distance

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

Fee information

2007 contribution for post-2004 Commonwealth-supported students: $889.75
2007 amount for undergraduate domestic fee-paying students: $2,562.00
Subject EFTSL: 0.125
Note: The above fees are applicable in 2007 for Commonwealth-supported students who commenced after 2004 and domestic fee-paying undergraduate students only. Pre-2005 Commonwealth-supported students should consult the Student contribution charges for Commonwealth supported students webpage.
Not all students are eligible for Commonwealth supported places, and not all subjects are available to Commonwealth supported students. Domestic fee-paying students and international students should refer to the Fees webpage.

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at Access conditions and My Student Admin.