The impact of economic activity on the sensitivity of the natural environment to stress and shock is a growing concern in ecology, economics, and environmental science alike. Indeed, the impact of economic activity on ecosystem resilience is a core concern of ecological economics. The paper considers renewable natural resources that may or may not be exploited directly (through harvest), but are indirectly impacted through either pollution or the incidental effects of harvest. These include all currently exploited renewable natural resources, and many resources that are not exploited but are nevertheless impacted by human activity. The paper shows that, under very general assumptions, the direct and indirect impacts of economic activity reduce both the recovery rate of such resources and their stability -- their resilience. We analyse the set of conditions under which the impacts of economic activity are discontinuous and irreversible. The results highlight the uncertainty in ecosystem responses to perturbation. They underline the importance of incorporating ecological information into economic models whenever ecological dynamics are not independent of economic activity.
Resilience and Stability in Ecological Economic Systems
DALMAZZONE, Silvana;
1998-01-01
Abstract
The impact of economic activity on the sensitivity of the natural environment to stress and shock is a growing concern in ecology, economics, and environmental science alike. Indeed, the impact of economic activity on ecosystem resilience is a core concern of ecological economics. The paper considers renewable natural resources that may or may not be exploited directly (through harvest), but are indirectly impacted through either pollution or the incidental effects of harvest. These include all currently exploited renewable natural resources, and many resources that are not exploited but are nevertheless impacted by human activity. The paper shows that, under very general assumptions, the direct and indirect impacts of economic activity reduce both the recovery rate of such resources and their stability -- their resilience. We analyse the set of conditions under which the impacts of economic activity are discontinuous and irreversible. The results highlight the uncertainty in ecosystem responses to perturbation. They underline the importance of incorporating ecological information into economic models whenever ecological dynamics are not independent of economic activity.
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