A Comparison of Consumer\u27s Surplus and Monopoly Revenue Estimates of Recreational Value for Two Utah Waterfowl Marshes

Demand curves were estimated for waterfowl hunting and nonconsumptive recreational use from use rate and variable expenditure data collected at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area during fiscal 1969. Consumer\u27s surplus and monopoly revenue estimates were then derived from the demand functions. Adjusted estimates of consumer\u27s surplus for waterfowl hunting amounted to $7,260 per year at Bear River and$11,400 per year at Farmington Bay. For nonconsumptive recreation annual consumer\u27s surplus was estimated to be $18,700 at Bear River and$3,760 at Farmington Bay. Monopoly revenue estimates were between one-half and one-fourth the corresponding consumer\u27s surplus estimates. The capitalized value (at 8 percent interest) of predicted annual consumer\u27s surplus for all recreation was $865,800 for Bear River and$299,000 for Farmington Boy. Capitalization of the corresponding monopoly revenue estimates gave $276,900 for Bear River and$92,100 for Farmington Bay. At 3 percent interest, the capitalized consumer\u27s surplus values increase to $4,242,000 for Bear River and$1,184,000 for Farmington Buy, while those for monopoly revenue increase to $1,330,000 for Bear River and$350,000 for Farmington Bay. The author believes that consumer\u27s surplus estimates are more valuable than monopoly revenue estimates for comparison with other values included in the benefit/cost analysis of water development projects because the needed values include more than a non-discriminating monopolist can extract. It will never be possible to make additive estimates of all of the relevant values of natural areas used for outdoor recreation. Allocation decisions must draw on several disciplines in addition to economics to determine where the balance will swing for the greatest net benefit to society, nevertheless, the author believes that exceptions exist where the native flora and fauna can be managed to attract visitors such than an area can remain in natural production in perpetuity and be competitive with potentially conflicting interests in terms of measurable economic values. It is believed that future research should concentrate on high-value sites and be directed toward sensitivity analysis, the simultaneous evaluation of alternative uses, the influence of the travel-time variable, marginal resource values, and off-site benefits

Breaking the deadlock on ivory

Poaching for ivory has caused a steep decline in African elephant (Loxodonta africana, see the photo) populations over the past decade (1). This crisis has fueled a contentious global debate over which ivory policy would best protect elephants: banning all ivory trade or enabling regulated trade to incentivize and fund elephant conservation (2). The deep-seated deadlock on ivory policy consumes valuable resources and creates an antagonistic environment among elephant conservationists. Successful solutions must begin by recognizing the different values that influence stakeholder cognitive frameworks of how actions lead to outcomes (“mental models”) (3), and therefore their diverging positions on ivory trade (4). Based on successful conflict resolution in other areas, we propose an iterative process through which countries with wild elephant populations may be able to understand their differences and develop workable solutions in a less confrontational manne

Identification of Two Different 14-α Sterol Demethylase-Related Genes ( cyp51A

Two cyp51-related genes (cyp51A and cyp51B) encoding 14-α sterol demethylase-like enzymes were identified in the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. PCR amplification using degenerate oligonucleotides based on conserved areas of cytochrome P450 demethylases of other filamentous fungi and yeasts allowed the cloning and sequencing of two different homologue genes in A. fumigatus. Southern analysis confirmed that both genes hybridized to distinct genomic loci and that both are represented as single copies in the genome. Comparison of the deduced Cyp51A and Cyp51B proteins with the CYP51 proteins from Penicillium italicum, Aspergillus nidulans, Erysiphe graminis, Uncinula necator, Botrytis cinerea, Ustilago maydis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida tropicalis, and Candida glabrata showed that the percentages of identity of the amino acid sequences (range, 40 to 70%) were high enough to consider Cyp51A and Cyp51B to be members of the fungal CYP51 family. Fragments from both genes were also cloned from other Aspergillus spp. (A. flavus, A. nidulans, and A. terreus). Phylogenetic analysis showed that, at least in the most pathogenic species of Aspergillus, there are two fungal CYP51 proteins. This is the first report of the existence of two homologue genes coding for 14-α sterol demethylase in the fungal kingdom. This finding could provide insights into the azole resistance mechanisms operating in fungi. The primers used here may be useful molecular tools for facilitating the cloning of novel 14-α sterol demethylase genes in other filamentous fungi