Building with Nature
ecosystem functions and services
Linking ecosystems to human well-being
De Groot et al.
2010 (TEEB D0-Chapter 1); adapted from Haines-Young & Potschin 2009
BwN-Ecosystems
2
Functions and services
Ecosystem functions:
• the capacity of natural processes and components to
provide goods and services that satisfy human needs,
directly or indirectly (de Groot 1992)
Ecosystem services:
• the benefits people obtain from an ecosystem (MEA 2003)
BwN-Ecosystems
3
Ecosystem services
(MEA 2003)
Provisioning
goods produced or provided by ecosystems
Regulating
Cultural
benefits obtained
from regulation
of ecosystem
processes
non-material
benefits
obtained from
ecosystems
Supporting
those that are necessary for the
production of all other ecosystem services
BwN-Ecosystems
4
Provisioning services
Goods produced or provided by ecosystems:
– fresh water
– food
– fibre
– fuel
– genetic resources
– biochemicals
– natural medicines and pharmaceuticals
BwN-Ecosystems
5
Regulating services
Benefits obtained from regulation of ecosystem
processes:
– erosion regulation
– water purification
– waste regulation
– air quality regulation
– climate regulation
– natural hazard regulation (e.g. droughts, floods,
storms)
BwN-Ecosystems
6
Cultural services
Non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems:
– spiritual and religious values
– knowledge systems
– educational values
– inspiration
– aesthetic values
– sense of place
– recreation and ecotourism
BwN-Ecosystems
7
Supporting services
Those that are necessary for the production of all other
ecosystem services:
– primary production
– nutrient cycling
– water cycling
BwN-Ecosystems
8
Mangrove forest
BwN-Ecosystems
9
Mangroves
• Salt-tolerant plant species (mangrove tree)
• Community (mangrove forest) = mangal
• About 68 species of trees, shrubs, bushes, including:
– Rhizophora (red mangrove type)
– Avicennia (black mangrove type)
– Nypa (palm)
• (Sub)tropical intertidal regions
BwN-Ecosystems
10
Local distribution mangroves (Valiela 1995)
• Flat lands between tide marks
• Areas with high precipitation
• Arid areas (e.g. Middle East): groundwater
Often the border between tropical rain forest and ocean
BwN-Ecosystems
11
Adaptations to anaerobic/loose soils
red mangroves
black mangrove type
(Rhizophora)
(Avicennia, Sonneratia)
Nutritive
roots
Pneumatophores
Anchoring roots
BwN-Ecosystems
12
Mangrove trees provide matrix with
horizontal and vertical zonation
• Canopy  terrestrial
epiphytes, orchids, ants, birds
• Soils: periodically submerged
fish, crabs, ants, snails
• Root holes, clefts: fresh water
insect larvae (mosquitos)
• (Semi)permanent pools
plankton, fish, shrimps, crabs, snails, frogs
• Frequently submerged roots, branches
oysters, barnacles, benthic algae
BwN-Ecosystems
13
Mangroves as habitat
for commercially
important species
breeding stages of fish, prawns,
crabs feed and shelter in mangroves
(Davies & Claridge 1993)
(Lindén & Jernelöv 1980)
BwN-Ecosystems
14
Role of mangroves in coastal
fisheries (Primavera 1992)
Suggested causes:
• outwelling nutrients
• outwelling detritus
• nursery grounds
BwN-Ecosystems
15
Role of mangroves in land accretion
(Davies & Claridge 1993)
Mangroves trap
sediment
Mangroves
prevent erosion
Sediment accumulates
and makes new land
BwN-Ecosystems
16
% decrease in wave height by
mangroves (Nguyen et al. 2013)
A1-A4
B3-C3-C4
A1-B3
70-0% cover
1.5-1.0-0.5 km width
4.1-5.06 m sea level
BwN-Ecosystems
60-0%
59-47-19%
60-59%
17
Ecosystem services provided by mangroves
provisioning
•
•
•
•
•
fish
shellfish
shrimps
wood
construction
materials
regulating
• water
purification
• climate
regulation
• flood protection
• greenhouse gas
regulation
• river buffer
zone
cultural
• knowledge /
science
• recreation
• ecotourism
• aesthetic value
BwN-Ecosystems
supporting
• carbon storage
• hydrological
cycle
• nutrient cycle
18