Ecosystems provide a wide variety of services, which can be divided in 3 categories:
1. Provisioning services
2. Regulating and supporting services
3. Cultural services
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Food | Ecosystems provide the conditions for growing food |
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Raw materials | Ecosystems provide a great diversity of materials for construction and fuel including wood, biofuels and plant oils |
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Fresh water |
Ecosystems play a vital role in the global hydrological cycle, as they regulate the flow and purification of water |
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Medical resources |
Ecosystems and biodiversity provide many plants used as traditional medicines as well as providing the raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry |
Regulating and supporting services
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Climate and air quality |
Trees or other plants play an important role in regulating air quality by removing pollutants from the atmosphere |
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Moderating of extreme events |
Ecosystems and living organisms create buffers against natural disasters and hazards including floods, storms, tsunamis, avalanches and landslides, thereby preventing possible damage. For example, wetlands can soak up flood water whilst trees can stabilize slopes |
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Erosion prevention and maintenance of soil fertility | Vegetation cover provides a vital regulating service by preventing soil erosion. Soil fertility is essential for plant growth and agriculture and well functioning ecosystems supply the soil with nutrients |
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Habitat for species |
Habitats provide everything that an individual plant or animal needs to survive: food; water; and shelter |
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Maintenance of genetic diversity |
Genetic diversity is the variety of genes between and within species populations. Genetic diversity distinguishes different breeds or races from each other thus providing the basis for locally well-adapted cultivars and a gene pool for further developing commercial crops and livestock |
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Recreation and mental and physical health | The role that green space plays in maintaining mental and physical health is increasingly being recognized |
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Tourism |
Ecosystems and biodiversity play an important role for many kinds of tourism. Cultural and eco-tourism can also educate people about the importance of biological diversity |
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Aesthetic inspiration | Biodiversity, ecosystems and natural landscapes have been the source of inspiration for much of our art, culture and science |
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