A proactive approach for assessing alternative management programs for an invasive alien pollinator species

Aliza Fleischer (), Sharoni Shafir and Yael Mandelik

Ecological Economics, 2013, vol. 88, issue C, 126-132

Abstract: Most evaluations of the economic impacts of invasive species are done post facto and concentrate on direct production loss caused. However, the effects of invasive species on non-market services such as biodiversity and landscapes can be considerable. A proactive approach of assessing the expected economic impact of invasive species prior to their occurrence may contribute to greater efficiency of policy makers. Here we used a stated preference method for a priori evaluating the willingness of the population to pay for different control programs of a new invasive bee species in Israel, the dwarf honey bee, Apis florea. We evaluated possible economic impacts of A. florea using two model plant species expected to be adversely affected by its invasion due to decreased pollination. The plants have no market value but they add aesthetic value to the open landscape. Using a mixed logit model we found that the mean willingness to pay (WTP) differed between the model plants, and increased with the extent of plant loss. Respondents differentiated between levels of damage to the plants and between control methods in their preferences for a specific program. Our results provide means for informed proactive decision making in preventing the continued invasion of the bee.

Keywords: Apis florea; Control; Eradication; Invasive species; Landscape valuation; Pollination; Willingness to pay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800913000402
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:88:y:2013:i:c:p:126-132

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.01.020

Access Statistics for this article

Ecological Economics is currently edited by C. J. Cleveland

More articles in Ecological Economics from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().