Defining Ecosystems & Ecosystem Services (7) Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
= a combination of interactions of biological/living components of environment & physical/non-living components of environment.
What are ecosystem goods?
= raw materials of the environment that are essential for economic production.
Egs of ecosystem goods? (3)
- Fertile soils.
- Sand.
- Water.
What happens when these ecosystem goods become market goods?
The price of these goods change with demand & supply of the goods.
What are ecosystem services?
Services that an ecosystem provides to humans & that support life functions.
Name the 4 categories of ecosystem services?
- Provisioning services.
- Regulating services.
- Cultural services.
- Supporting services.
Provisioning services?
= services that provide resources.
Eg of provisioning services? (5)
- Food (via harvest).
- Grazing (must be healthy for cattle to good meat).
- Water.
- Fuel wood.
- Fiber.
Cultural services?
= services based on percieved value & have non-material benefits.
Eg of cultural services? (5)
- Ecotourism.
- Recreational.
- Cultural heritage.
- Sense of place.
- Educational.
What intriguing thing does the National Heritage Act do for trees?
Protect trees of >65 years old, exotic or not.
Regulating services?
= regulation of ecosystem processes.
Eg of regulating services? (6)
- Water regulation (floods & irrigation).
- Water purification.
- Climate regulation.
- Reduction of land degradation.
- Disease/Pest regulation.
- Pollination.
Suppotting services?
= support other ecosystem services & are needed for the production of all other services.
Eg of supporting services? (5)
- Habitat.
- Regalia.
- Primary production.
- Soil formation.
- Nutrient cycling (weak soil = vegetation quality).
