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Ecosystem services

These inter-relation between abiotic and biotic factores generates natural processes that supporte
human life.Ecosystem services are processes provided by nature that support human life. Normally
theses services are overlooked / unnotice by most people and organizations, but without them we
would not be able to survive as we do.

The global economic value of pollination services performed by insects has been valued at
153 billion € per year (Gallai et al. 2009).

Ecosystem services and Biodiversity - Science for Environment Policy

Service type Examples of goods or services provided

Provisional Fibres; Food; Freshwater; Fuel wood and other essential resources

Climate regulation; Disease control and suppression of pathogens; Water
Regulative
purification and regulation

Supporting
(processes) Nutrient cycling; Primary production; Soil formation

Aesthetics; Cultural heritage and sense of place; Educational; Recreational;
Cultural
Spiritual and religious

Image 11. Classification of ecosystem services, based on Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA,
2003).

Soil is a biologically, physically, and chemically diverse entity that forms the basic substrate
of terrestrial ecosystems, supports many human activities and provides a multitude of
highly valuable ecosystem services (Dominati et al. 2010).

Service type Goods or services provided

Provision of clean water through infiltration; Production of food, fodder, fuel,
Provisional
fibre and raw materials; Physical support
Mitigation of floods and droughts through water retention; Regulation of
biogeochemical cycling, global climate patterns, animal and plant
Regulative populations, and potential pests and pathogens; Erosion control;
Bioremediation; Translocation of nutrients, particles, gasses (incl. trace
gasses)

Supporting Nutrient cycling incl. decomposition, retention and delivery of nutrients; Soil
(processes) biological activity; Soil formation; Water cycling

Cultural Recreation; Spirituality; Aesthetics; Sense of place
Image 12: Ecosystem services provided by soil and its biota. Based on Daily et al., 1997; Wall, 2004;
Palm et al., 2007; and Dominati et al., 2010.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the
views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.