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The economic values of species diversity
Economic assessment of species diversity in grasslands. The research question will be defined by the master student and the supervisors together.
Keywords: Grassland, Species Diversity, Valuation, Ecological Economics
Grasslands play an important role in global food security. They cover major shares of the world’s agricultural area and provide, besides feed production, a wide range of additional ecosystem services (Soussana and Lüscher 2007). (Plant) Species diversity can positively affect many ecosystems services in grasslands and to reduce adverse effects of climatic extremes, such as high temperature and droughts (e.g. Vogel et al. 2012, Isbell et al. 2015, Hungate et al. 2017). A key challenge is to transform these findings also into economic terms, i.e., to quantify these potential benefits but also costs of species diversity in terms of i) farmers’ utility and ii) overall welfare effects.
**Research question:** This thesis will conduct empirical research on the economic benefits from species diversity in grasslands. We will provide students with rich existing datasets from biodiversity experiments (e.g. Jena Experiment or Agrodiversity Experiment, these include various variables (e.g. biomass, forage quality, nitrogen, carbon, pollinators) and treatments (e.g. management (fertilizer levels and number of cuts), drought)). The thesis is embedded in the project Diversgrass www.aecp.ethz.ch/research/DIVERSGRASS.html. The specific research question will be defined by the master student and the supervisors.
_Remark:_ It is also optional to replicate existing studies. For example to replicate (parts of) ‘Hungate et al. (2017) The economic value of grassland species for carbon storage’ with different datasets, e.g. from the Jena Experiment (available here: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.887353). (This could also be extended and include not only grasslands but also forests).
**Method:** The master thesis should include quantitative analysis of data. Possibly economic simulation models can be used in addition.
Hungate, B. A. et al (2017) The economic value of grassland species for carbon storage. Science advances, 3, e1601880.
Isbell, F. et al (2015) Biodiversity increases the resistance of ecosystem productivity to climate extremes. Nature, 526, 574-577.
Soussana, J. F. & Lüscher, A. (2007) Temperate grasslands and global atmospheric change: a review. Grass and Forage Science, 62, 127-134.
Vogel, A., Scherer-Lorenzen, M. & Weigelt, A. (2012) Grassland resistance and resilience after drought depends on management intensity and species richness. PloS one, 7, e36992.
Grasslands play an important role in global food security. They cover major shares of the world’s agricultural area and provide, besides feed production, a wide range of additional ecosystem services (Soussana and Lüscher 2007). (Plant) Species diversity can positively affect many ecosystems services in grasslands and to reduce adverse effects of climatic extremes, such as high temperature and droughts (e.g. Vogel et al. 2012, Isbell et al. 2015, Hungate et al. 2017). A key challenge is to transform these findings also into economic terms, i.e., to quantify these potential benefits but also costs of species diversity in terms of i) farmers’ utility and ii) overall welfare effects.
**Research question:** This thesis will conduct empirical research on the economic benefits from species diversity in grasslands. We will provide students with rich existing datasets from biodiversity experiments (e.g. Jena Experiment or Agrodiversity Experiment, these include various variables (e.g. biomass, forage quality, nitrogen, carbon, pollinators) and treatments (e.g. management (fertilizer levels and number of cuts), drought)). The thesis is embedded in the project Diversgrass www.aecp.ethz.ch/research/DIVERSGRASS.html. The specific research question will be defined by the master student and the supervisors.
_Remark:_ It is also optional to replicate existing studies. For example to replicate (parts of) ‘Hungate et al. (2017) The economic value of grassland species for carbon storage’ with different datasets, e.g. from the Jena Experiment (available here: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.887353). (This could also be extended and include not only grasslands but also forests).
**Method:** The master thesis should include quantitative analysis of data. Possibly economic simulation models can be used in addition.
Hungate, B. A. et al (2017) The economic value of grassland species for carbon storage. Science advances, 3, e1601880. Isbell, F. et al (2015) Biodiversity increases the resistance of ecosystem productivity to climate extremes. Nature, 526, 574-577. Soussana, J. F. & Lüscher, A. (2007) Temperate grasslands and global atmospheric change: a review. Grass and Forage Science, 62, 127-134. Vogel, A., Scherer-Lorenzen, M. & Weigelt, A. (2012) Grassland resistance and resilience after drought depends on management intensity and species richness. PloS one, 7, e36992.
Not specified
_Please contact me (seschaub@ethz.chseschaub) and we can discuss ideas for the master thesis._
_Please contact me (seschaub@ethz.chseschaub) and we can discuss ideas for the master thesis._