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An Ecologists Perspective on Valuing NatureThomas A. SpiesPNW Research Station

Supporting services, e.g. primary and secondaryproduction, and biodiversity. Provisioning services, e.g. products: food, water, fiber etc. Regulating services, e.g. carbon sequestration, climate and water regulation, natural hazard protectionCultural services, satisfy human spiritual andaesthetic appreciation of nature.Ecosystem ServicesMeans to an endPrevious list of servicesEnd in itselfWorth in itself, not in service to anything

Instrumental vs intrinsic valuesRarity/Scarcity vs CommonDiversity vs simple/homogeneousNative vs non-native Historical (pre-euroamerican) vs post-euroamericanDynamic vs stableSome valued ecological characteristicsProcess vs stateMulti scale vs single scaleEcosystem vs single species/serviceHigh vs low dimensionalityReferent points based on range of variation vs single point/stageEcological engineering vs nature reservesDifferent Ecological PerspectivesRates of change (e.g. production, population)States (e.g. biomass, habitat area, population)Heterogeneity (spatial and temporal)Relationships and interactions (drivers and responders)Scale effects (ecological and spatio-temporal)Disturbances as drivers

Metrics and Ways of Characterizing EcosystemsA Few Examples

Rarity, Ecosystem Perspective, History, Diversity, Dynamics,dimensionality

Vegetation Change in Natural and Managed ForestsRarity, Ecosystem, History, Diversity, Dynamics

Carbon Storage in Douglas-fir forests varies with succession

Late Summer Water Yield from Forested BasinVary with Disturbance and Forest Succession In Western Cascades Based on Jones, Unpublished0 10 20 30 40 50 100 200 300 400 Time since stand replacement disturbance (yrs)Fire/Clear CutLowHighWater YieldDense canopywith hardwoodsOld-growth with canopy gaps

Salmonid Habitat Quality Varies with Time Since Previous Debris Flow

0 to 30 yrs30 to 60 yrs60 to 90 yrs> 90 yrsHabitat Quality: Low High

G. Reeves

< 1011 - 4041 - 8081 - 200> 200Stand AgeThree CenturiesOf SimulatedPre-ColumbianFire History inOregon CoastRangeBy Nonaka Wimberly and Spies

% Old GrowthYears Before PresentProvince Scale (2,250,000 ha)b) National Forest Scale (302,500 ha)c) Reserve Scale (40,000 ha)Scale effects13

Management and Ownership Effects

Distribution of Ecological Conditions in the Oregon Coast Range15

Vegetation ConditionsOregon Coast Range 1996Not SimulatedOpen ForestBroadleafMixed SmallMixed MediumMixed LargeMixed Very LargeConifer SmallConifer MediumConifer Large Conifer Very LargeMixed Very SmallConifer Very SmallRemnants16

Projected2046

Not SimulatedOpen ForestBroadleafMixed SmallMixed MediumMixed LargeMixed Very LargeConifer SmallConifer MediumConifer Large Conifer Very LargeMixed Very SmallConifer Very SmallRemnants17

2096Not SimulatedOpen ForestBroadleafMixed SmallMixed MediumMixed LargeMixed Very LargeConifer SmallConifer MediumConifer Large Conifer Very LargeMixed Very SmallConifer Very SmallRemnants18

Ecosystem ServicesUnder Different Scenarios

Tradeoffs Among Ecosystem ValuesCarbon SequestrationWater YieldFire Resilient VegetationSpotted Owl PopulationsEcologist implicitly value certain ecosystem characteristicsBoth instrumental and intrinsic valuesDifficult to reduce the diversity and high dimensionality of ecosystems into a few components Tradeoffs among services are commonSpatial and temporal variability is key to maintaining ecosystem functions and servicesConclusions