Importance of Biodiversity - Use and Existence Value - Unsolved Practice Set
Chapter: Biodiversity and Conservation | Topic: Importance of Biodiversity Use and Existence Value
IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY - USE AND EXISTENCE VALUE - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Topic: Importance of Biodiversity Use and Existence Value
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. The economic benefits humans directly derive from biodiversity, such as food, medicines, and timber, represent which type of value?
- Existence value
- Narrowly utilitarian value
- Ethical value only
- No value at all
Q2. Broader ecological benefits provided by biodiversity, such as oxygen production, pollination, and climate regulation, represent which type of value?
- Narrowly utilitarian value
- Broadly utilitarian value
- Purely aesthetic value with no ecological basis
- None of these
Q3. The idea that every species has an intrinsic right to exist, regardless of any direct economic benefit to humans, reflects:
- Narrowly utilitarian value
- Broadly utilitarian value
- Ethical/existence value
- No recognised value at all
Q4. Which of the following would be considered an example of narrowly utilitarian value derived from biodiversity?
- A medicinal plant used to develop a life-saving drug
- The role of forests in regulating regional climate
- The right of an endangered species to exist
- The aesthetic beauty of a national park
Q5. Ecotourism, which generates economic and cultural value from the aesthetic and recreational appeal of biodiversity, is generally considered an example of:
- Narrowly utilitarian value only
- Broadly utilitarian value
- Purely ethical value with no economic component
- None of these
Short Answer Questions
Q6. Define narrowly utilitarian value, and give one example related to biodiversity.
Q7. Define broadly utilitarian value, and give one example related to biodiversity.
Q8. What is meant by the "existence value" (or ethical value) of biodiversity?
Q9. Why is ecotourism generally considered an example of broadly utilitarian value, rather than narrowly utilitarian value?
Long Answer Questions
Q10. Discuss the narrowly utilitarian and broadly utilitarian values of biodiversity, explaining how each contributes to human wellbeing in different ways.
Q11. Explain the concept of the ethical/existence value of biodiversity, discussing why some argue that species deserve protection independent of any direct economic benefit to humans.
APPLICATION / ANALYSIS
Q12. A pharmaceutical company discovers a promising new medicinal compound derived from a rare rainforest plant, leading to a valuable new drug. A separate conservation group argues that this same plant deserves protection regardless of whether such a medicinal use had ever been discovered. Identify which type of value each perspective represents, and explain your reasoning.
Q13. A national park generates significant income through ecotourism, attracting visitors who wish to see its diverse wildlife and scenic landscapes, while also providing important ecosystem services like water regulation to surrounding communities. Explain how this single park illustrates more than one type of biodiversity value simultaneously.