Ecosystem Services
Naomi Radke, seecon international gmbh
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Ecosystem Services
3. Changes in Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being
4. Substitutability and Well-Being
5. Drivers of Ecosystem Change
6. Wetland Services Under Stress
7. References
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1. Introduction
What are Ecosystems? (1/2)
Ecosystem:
• Dynamic complex and interaction of living organisms
(humans, animals, plants, microorganisms, ..) and the nonliving environment (air, water, mineral soil, ...)
• Interaction of living organisms and the non-living environment
through water cycle, nutrient cycle and energy flows
Example: interaction between
water and plant through water
cycle.
Source:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleevapotranspirat
ion.html [Accessed: 29.05.2013]
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1. Introduction
What are Ecosystems? (2/2)
Example: The Marine Ecosystem
Source:
http://www.xbordercurrents.co.uk/wildlife/marineecosystem-2/ [Accessed: 29.05.2013]
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1. Introduction
Humans within the Ecosystems (1/2)
Have a major
impact on the
health of an
ecosystem
e.g. exploitation of
groundwater through
excessive irrigation
e.g. pollution through
inadequate sanitation
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Depend entirely
on a functioning
ecosystem
e.g. quantity and
quality of water
Humans and the water cycle.
Source:
http://www.pacificwater.org/pages.cfm/waterservices/water-demand-management/waterdistribution/the-water-cycle.html [Accessed:
29.05.2013]
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1. Introduction
Humans within the Ecosystems (2/2)
Therefore:
Sustainable sanitation and water management
are crucial for a more sustainable
ecosystem management.
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2. Ecosystem Services
Types of Ecosystem Services (1/2)
Ecosystem Services = benefits people obtain from ecosystems
• Provisioning services
• Products from ecosystems: e.g. Food, timber, water
• Regulating services
• Benefits from regulation of ecosystem processes: e.g.
Water purification, control of climate, diseases, floods
• Cultural services
• Spiritual and recreational benefits
• Supporting services
• Maintain the three other services: e.g. Water and nutrient
cycles, photosynthesis, crop pollination
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2. Ecosystem Services
Types of Ecosystem Services (2/2)
Demand for these services have been growing over the last
decades.
Enhancement of
production of crops,
livestock, aquaculture
Negative impact on other
services like water
regulation
Unsustainable water withdrawals for irrigation of
agricultural land. 15-35% of global irrigation
withdrawals are estimated to be unsustainable.
Source: MA (2005).
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3. Changes in Ecosystems and Human Well-Being
Components of Human Well-Being
General components are:
• Security
• Basic material for a good life
• Health
• Good social relations
• Freedom in choice and action, which is enhanced by the
previous components
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3. Changes in Ecosystems and Human Well-Being
Shortages of Ecosystem Services Affect Human Well-Being
Linkages between ecosystem services and human
well-being. Source: MA (2005).
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4. Substitutability and Human Well-Being
Only Partial Substitutability!
e.g. Substitutability of natural water purification:
Limited amount of clean water from water filters
BUT
dependence on economic status!
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5. Drivers of Ecosystem Change
Indirect drivers (1/2)
• Demography: global population doubled in the past 40 years
• Economy:
• increase of global economic activity sevenfold
between 1950 and 2000
• Taxes and subsidies increase resource consumption
(e.g. Increase food production  increase water
consumption)
• Socio-Politics: a.o. Public participation  increase in
multilateral environmental agreements
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5. Drivers of Ecosystem Change
Indirect drivers (2/2)
• Culture and Religion: influence on consumption behaviour and
environmental stewardship
• Science and Technology: e.g. Advances in fishing industry 
depletion of marine fish stock
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5. Drivers of Ecosystem Change
Direct drivers
• Habitat change
• In terrestrial ecosystems especially land-cover change
to cropland
• Overexploitation
• Overfishing in marine ecosystems
• Invasive species
• Pollution
• Esp. Freshwater ecosystems
• Climate change
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6. Wetland Services Under Stress
Human Reliance on Wetland Services
Population growth  more people rely on wetland services
• Freshwater supply
• Natural water purification
• Aquifer recharge
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6. Wetland Services Under Stress
Agriculture and Wetland Services
Population growth  more people rely on wetland services
This can result in:
Regional water scarcity
due to irrigation
Source:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photo
s/water-infrastructure/ [Accessed: 30.05.2013]
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Eutrophication of water
bodies through excessive
fertilization
Source:
http://www.odec.ca/projects/2005/chow5a0/public_html/
[Accessed: 30.05.2013]
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7. References
MA (2005): Ecosystems and Human Well-Being. Synthesis. Washington: World Resources Institute. URL:
http://www.unep.org/maweb/en/Synthesis.aspx [Accessed: 03.04.2013]
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“Linking up Sustainable Sanitation,
Water Management & Agriculture”
SSWM is an
initiative
supported by:
Created
by:
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