| Number |
Ecosystem Service* |
Ecosystem functions |
Examples
|
| 1 |
Gas
regulation
|
Regulation of
atmospheric chemical composition.
|
CO2/O2 balance, O3 for
UVB protection, and
SOx levels.
|
| 2 |
Climate
regulation
|
Regulation of global
temperature,
precipitation, and
other biologically
mediated climatic
processes at global or
local levels.
|
Greenhouse gas
regulation, DMS
production affecting
cloud formation.
|
3
|
Disturbance
regulation
|
Capacitance, damping
and integrity of
ecosystem response
to environmental
fluctuations.
|
Storm protection, flood
control, drought
recovery and other
aspects of habitat
response to
environmental variability
mainly controlled by
vegetation structure. |
4
|
Water
regulation
|
Regulation of
hydrological flows.
|
Provisioning of water for
agricultural (such as
irrigation) or industrial
(such as milling)
processes or
transportation.
|
5
|
Water supply |
Storage and retention
of water. |
Provisioning of water by
watersheds, reservoirs
and aquifers. |
6
|
Erosion
control and
sediment
retention |
Retention of soil within
an ecosystem. |
Prevention of loss of
soil by wind, runoff, or
other removal
processes, storage of
stilt in lakes and
wetlands.
|
7
|
Soil formation |
Soil formation
processes. |
Weathering of rock and
the accumulation of
organic material. |
| 8 |
Nutrient
cycling |
Storage, internal
cycling, processing
and acquisition of
nutrients. |
Nitrogen fixation, N, P
and other elemental or
nutrient cycles. |
| 9 |
Waste
treatment
|
Recovery of mobile
nutrients and removal
or breakdown of
excess or xenic
nutrients and
compounds.
|
Waste treatment,
pollution control,
detoxification. |
10
|
Pollination |
Movement of floral
gametes.
|
Provisioning of
pollinators for the
reproduction of plant
populations.
|
| 11 |
Biological
control |
Trophic-dynamic
regulations of
populations. |
Keystone predator
control of prey species,
reduction of herbivory
by top predators. |
| 12 |
Refugia
|
Habitat for resident
and transient
populations. |
Nurseries, habitat for
migratory species,
regional habitats for
locally harvested
species, or
overwintering grounds. |
| 13 |
Food
production |
That portion of gross
primary production
extractable as food. |
Production of fish,
game, crops, nuts,
fruits by hunting,
gathering, subsistence
farming or fishing. |
| 14 |
Raw
materials |
That portion of gross
primary production
extractable as raw
materials.
|
The production of
lumber, fuel or fodder.
|
| 15 |
Genetic
resources |
Sources of unique
biological materials
and products. |
Medicine, products for
materials science,
genes for resistance to
plant pathogens and
crop pests, ornamental
species (pets and
horticultural varieties of
plants). |
| 16 |
Recreation |
Providing opportunities
for recreational
activities.
|
Eco-tourism, sport
fishing, and other
outdoor recreational
activities.
|
| 17 |
Cultural |
Providing opportunities
for non-commercial
uses. |
Aesthetic, artistic,
educational, spiritual,
and/or scientific values
of ecosystems.
|
