APES Notes 2.2 - Ecosystem Services

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Instructor: Mr. Smeeds

• Topic: Ecosystem services (Topic 2.2)

• Objective: Describe ecosystem services and how humans can degrade/disrupt them.

• Skill Practice: Explaining an environmental concept or process.

Chapter 2: Categories of Ecosystem Services

• Definition: Ecosystem services are goods or functions with measurable economic value to humans.

• Four Categories:

  • Provisioning Services:

    • Goods directly taken from ecosystems.

    • Examples: Apples, fish, wood, and paper.

  • Regulating Services:

    • Benefits that moderate ecosystem processes, saving money.

    • Examples: Climate regulation, air quality improvement (e.g., trees reducing CO2).

  • Supporting Services:

    • Processes enabling efficient human activities.

    • Examples: Pollination for agriculture.

  • Cultural Services:

    • Economic gains from recreation and scientific knowledge.

    • Examples: Park fees, tourism income, medical discoveries.

Chapter 3: Disrupting Ecosystem Services

• Human Disruption:

  • Activities like logging and overfishing degrade ecosystem services.

  • Ecological Consequences: Affect organisms' survival.

  • Economic Consequences: Lead to lost jobs and revenue.

• Examples of Disruption:

  • Agricultural Land Clearing:

    • Decreased CO2 storage leads to climate change, increasing storm damage and crop failures.

  • Overfishing:

    • Short-term profits may lead to long-term population collapses, affecting jobs and revenue.

• Importance of Provisioning Services:

  • Goods obtained directly or created from natural resources, e.g. paper, medicines, and rubber.

Chapter 4: Regulation of Ecosystem Services

• Sequestration of CO2 by Trees:

  • Photosynthesis allows trees to absorb CO2, reducing atmospheric levels and climate change.

  • Economic impacts include reduced storm damage repair costs and agricultural loss.

• Air Quality Regulation by Trees:

  • Trees trap air pollutants, improving health outcomes and lowering healthcare costs related to respiratory issues.

• Threat of Deforestation:

  • Deforestation for urbanization or logging reduces regulating services from forests.

Chapter 5: Supporting Ecosystems

• Functions of Natural Ecosystems:

  • Make human processes cost-effective and efficient.

• Example - Wetlands:

  • Filter pollutants, providing cleaner water and reducing treatment costs.

• Example - Pollinators:

  • Bees and insects increase agricultural productivity, benefiting farmers and lowering grocery prices.

• Disruption of Supporting Services:

  • Habitat destruction decreases pollinator availability and diminishes natural filtration provided by wetlands.

Chapter 6: Cultural Services

• Revenue from Recreation:

  • Generated from activities like hunting, fishing, national park fees, and local tourism.

• Scientific Knowledge Contributions:

  • Natural ecosystems provide resources for medical and agricultural advancements.

• Effects of Disruption:

  • Deforestation and pollution reduce tourism and recreational activity viability, harming local economies.

  • Urbanization reduces natural landscapes, decreasing economic attractiveness to visitors.

Chapter 7: Practice FRQ

• Task: Describe an ecosystem service provided by intact forest ecosystems, identify a human activity that can degrade this service, and explain the impact.

• Closing: Encouragement to like and subscribe for more APES content.