What are ecosystem services?

Ecosystem services refer to the benefits that humans receive from functioning ecosystems, which play a crucial role in supporting life on Earth. These services can be categorized into four main types: provisioning services (such as food, water, and raw materials), regulating services (like climate regulation and flood control), supporting services (which include nutrient cycling and habitat provision), and cultural services (that encompass recreational and aesthetic benefits). By recognizing that healthy ecosystems contribute to human well-being in diverse ways, we understand their importance not just for biodiversity, but for sustaining economies and communities as well. This connection highlights the vital role ecosystems play in our everyday lives and the necessity of conserving them.