Ecosystem Services
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Ecosystem services are the many and varied benefits that humans freely gain from the natural environment and from properly-functioning ecosystems.
Denfinition
Per the 2006 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), ecosystem services are "the benefits people obtain from ecosystems".
Four categories
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) report 2005 defines Ecosystem services as benefits people obtain from ecosystems and distinguishes four categories of ecosystem services, where the so-called supporting services are regarded as the basis for the services of the other three categories.Essential ecosystem services
Supporting services
- These services make it possible for the ecosystems to provide services such as food supply, flood regulation, and water purification.
Provisioning services
- Food, Materials, Water, Energy...
Regulating services
- carbon sequestration and climate regulation
- waste decomposition
- purification of water and air
Cultural services
- Move, Outdoor sport...
Environmental economics
There are questions regarding the environmental and economic values of ecosystem services.