Using State and Transition Models to Determine the Opportunity Cost of Providing Ecosystem Services

A ranch-level model using state-and-transitions models for three ecological sites is used to determine the tradeoffs of providing various ecosystem services. The hypothetical ranch is located in northern Colorado and is based upon area average ecological site characteristics and livestock production...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Rangeland ecology & management 2018-11, Vol.71 (6), p.737-752
Main Authors: Ritten, John, Fernández-Giménez, María E., Pritchett, James, Kachergis, Emily, Bish, Willow
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Conservation
Costs
Decision making
Decisions
Dynamic programming
Ecology
Economics
Ecosystem management
ecosystem service
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Efficiency
Estimates
Land management
Livestock
Livestock production
Management decisions
Opportunity costs
Profitability
Profits
Soil erosion
state and transition model
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Summary:A ranch-level model using state-and-transitions models for three ecological sites is used to determine the tradeoffs of providing various ecosystem services. The hypothetical ranch is located in northern Colorado and is based upon area average ecological site characteristics and livestock production practices. Management decisions include stocking rate and brush control. The model includes exogenous factors such as precipitation and fire. The model solves for optimal decisions over an infinite planning horizon using stochastic dynamic programming. Results showthat a ranch cannot provide all ecosystem services in tandemat their highest level, implying that land managers must decide which ecosystems service theywant to provide. Also, it is much cheaper in terms of foregone profitability for a ranch to continue to provide a specific ecosystem service that is already provided by the ranch rather than try to transition the ranch to a new ecological state in order to provide a service currently not provided.
ISSN:1550-7424
1551-5028
DOI:10.1016/j.rama.2018.06.010