Q. Categories of value of biodiversity?
The value of biodiversity is often divided into two main categories:
· UTILITARIAN (also known as instrumental, extrinsic, or use) value, and
· INTRINSIC (also know as inherent) value.
A living thing's utilitarian value is determined by its use of function. Usually utilitarian value is measured in terms of its use for humans, such as for medicine or food. However, it can also represent the value of an organism to other living things or its ecological value; native bees, for example, serve as pollinators for many plants. In contrast, intrinsic value describes the inherent worth of an organism, independent of its value to anyone or anything else. In other words, all living things have a right to exist - regardless of their utilitarian value.
Determining the v alue or worth of biodiversity is complex. Economists typically subdivide utilitarian or use values of biodiversity into direct use value for those goods that are consumed directly, such as food or timber, and indirect use value for those services that support the items that are consumed, including ecosystem functions like nutrient cycling.