Unit 9- Lesson 2 (Ecosystem Services)

Ecosystem Services

● What is an ecosystem service? Any positive benefit

that wildlife or ecosystems provide to people. They
can be direct or indirect- small or large.
○ Provisioning
○ Regulating
○ Supporting
○ Cultural

Ecosystem Services- Provisioning

● Provisioning service- any type of benefit to people that

can be extracted from nature

○ Production of food (fruits, vegetables, trees, fish, and

livestock) and drinking water

○ Timber, wood
○ Fuel, natural gas, oils
○ Plants that can be made into clothes

Ecosystem Services- Regulating

● Regulating service- the benefit provided by ecosystem

processes that moderate natural phenomena.
○ Pollination (bees)
○ Decomposition
○ Air and water purification (plants)
○ Erosion (tree roots)and flood control
○ Carbon storage
○ Climate control

Ecosystem Services- Supporting

● Supporting service- natural processes that allow the Earth

to support basic life forms, ecosystem and people

○ Photosynthesis
○ Nutrient cycling and oxygen production
○ Creation of soils
○ Water cycle

Ecosystem Services- Cultural

● Cultural service- non-material benefit that contributes to

the development and advancement of people
○ How ecosystems play a role in local, national, and global

cultures

○ Building of knowledge and spreading of ideas
○ Creativity born from interactions with nature (music ,

art, architecture)

○ Recreation

ART Influences

Ansel Adams- photographer

Georgia O’Keefe- painter

Claude Monet- painter