lecture 29- ecosystem services Flashcards
What are ecosystem services?
Outputs, conditions, processes of natural systems that either directly or indirectly benefit humans
- Benefits can be essential or simply helpful
- Benefits can be material or social
Involve aspects of hydrology, biogeochemistry, ecology, and economics
What are the 4 ecosystem services?
1- Provisioning services
2- Regulating services
3- Cultural services
4- Supporting services
What are provisioning services?
Goods/products derived from ecosystems.
What are examples of provisioning services?
Food resources: Plants, animals, fish
Freshwater
Raw materials: Wood, fibers, oils
Energy: Biofuels
Pharmaceutical resources: Traditional medicines and sources of new pharmaceuticals
What are regulating services?
The benefits obtained from the regulation or moderation of
natural processes.
What are examples of moderation services?
Moderation of extreme events
Air and water purification
Climate regulation
Carbon storage
Decomposition
Prevention of soil erosion
Pollination
Explain the following regulating service: extreme events
Reduce damage from floods, hurricanes, droughts, etc
Example: mangroves
Explain the following regulating service: air purification
Plants purify air through several different mechanisms:
- CO2 removal through photosynthesis
- Removal of particulate matter
- Nitrogen fixation in leaves → mediated by symbiotic bacteria
Explain the following regulating service: water purification
Specific components of aquatic communities are excellent at
removing and purifying elements of water contamination
What are examples of organisms that purify water?
1- Wetlands: Natural removal of excess nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural fertilizer runoff and uptake of certain heavy metals from soils.
2- Constructed wetlands: Artificial wetlands designed to maximize the water filtration potential of a wetland ecosystem.
3- Mussels (and other bivalves): Filter feeders, will concentrate pollutants as they consume phytoplankton
Explain the following regulating service: erosion prevention
Maintaining the soil fertility of a system. It takes a long time to develop new soils, so this is vital.
Explain the following regulating service: decomposers
1- Role in the carbon cycle + supporting heterotrophs and photosynthesizers
2- Release of minerals and elements into the environment for further use by life
3- Suppress disease transmission in communities
Explain the following regulating service: Pollinators
Insects and vertebrates transport pollen from the male to female flowers of plant species
Estimated 35% of crops directly dependent on pollination for production of the harvestable product
What are cultural services?
Include non-material benefits that people obtain from ecosystems such as spiritual enrichment, intellectual development, recreation, and aesthetic values
What are supporting services?
Ecosystem services that are internal to ecosystems, maintaining ecosystem integrity, functioning, and resilience and the capacity of ecosystems to produce provisioning, regulatory, and cultural services.
