Ecosystem Goods And Services Flashcards
Regulating services.
Those services which are vital to the functioning of the earths systems. For example the forest acting as “green lungs” and as carbon sinks. And trees protect against flooding and soil erosion and so on..
Provisioning services (goods)
Includes things such as food and freshwater and fuel. They are products derived directly from the ecosystem. Sometimes things are taken out sustainably such as fruits and nuts, but things like timber can exhaust the supply.
Cultural services
Include aesthetic value and spiritual value that people can draw from from the area.
Supporting services
Processes such as the nutrient cycle, soil formation and primary production. Things that are vital to the ecosystem, can also include provision of wildlife habitats.
Case study: coral reefs provisioning services
Food - locals eat fish, coral reefs provide 25 per cent of total fish catch. In the Far East, reef fisheries feed 1b people.
Medicine - algae and sponges used in pharmaceuticals. Reefs support new treatments for bacterial infections as well as some cancers.
Building materials- mined for lime and stone in countries that lack basic construction materials.
Case study: coral reefs Regulating services
Shoreline protection - buffer coasts from wave erosion and reduce the impacts of storms acting as a natural defence system. They will become even more valuable as global warming increases sea levels, reefs can grow with rising sea levels.
Case study: coral reefs cultural services
Tourism - more than 100 countries with reefs in their water have established tourist industries, some Caribbean islands derive half of their GNP from tourism.
