Ecosystem Services Flashcards
what are the four categories of ecosystem services?
provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting
what are the results of anthropogenic activities in ecosystems?
they can disrupt ecosystem services, potentially resulting in economic and ecological consequences
what are ecosystem services?
goods that come from natural resources or services/functions that ecosystems carry out that have measurable economic/financial value to humans
what are provisioning ecosystem services?
goods taken directly from ecosystems or made from natural resources (wood, paper, food, etc.)
what are regulating ecosystem services?
natural ecosystems regulate climate/air quality, reducing storm damage and healthcare costs
what are supporting ecosystem services? what is an example?
natural ecosystems support processes we do ourselves, making them cheaper and easier
ex. bees pollinate crops
what are cultural ecosystem services?
money generated by recreation (parks, camping, tours) or scientific knowledge
what happens when human activities disrupt the ability of ecosystems to function?
it decreases the value of the ecosystem services they provide which has ecological (natural) and economic (money-based) consequences
what are some examples of anthropogenic activities affecting ecosystem services?
- clearing land for agriculture or for cities removes trees that store carbon dioxide which leads to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, more climate change, and more storm damage and crop failure
- overfishing leads to fish population collapses which leads to lost fishing jobs and lower fish sales in the future
what actions disrupt provisioning services?
overharvesting, water pollution, and clearing land for agriculture or urbanization
what are the two types of goods/products included in provisioning services?
what are some examples of each?
goods/products directly provided to humans for sale/use by ecosystems
ex. fish, hunting animals, lumber, naturally grown food (grains, berries, honey)
goods/products that are made from natural resources that ecosystems provide
ex. paper, medicine, rubber
regulating services are a benefit provided by ecosystem processes that:
moderate natural conditions like climate and air quality
what are some examples of regulating services and how they’re disrupted?
- trees in a forest sequester (store) carbon dioxide through photosynthesis which reduces the rate of climate change and lessens damage caused by rising sea levels (less money spend repairing damage) and reduces crop failure from drought (worsened by warming climate)
- trees filter air by absorbing air pollutants which reduces health care costs for treating diseases like asthma and bronchitis
- deforestation disrupts these services
supporting services is when natural ecosystems support processes we do ourselves making them:
less costly and easier for us
what are some examples of supporting services and how they’re disrupted?
wetland plant roots filter pollutants, leading to cleaner groundwater that we don’t have to pay as much to purify with expensive water treatment plans
bees and other insects pollinate our agricultural crops, leading to more crop production and higher profits
these are distrusted by pollinator habitat loss and filling in wetlands for development
