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Definitions Appendix for Ecosystem
 Materials for
Threats Analysis services.doc — 30Kb
 Definitions Preview
of
Ecosystem
Services Irit Altman, Thom Young, John Meyer
 Data Files
Appendix. Definitions of Ecosystem Components
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and Impacts/Influences
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Ecosystem Components
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Definitions of Ecosystem
Services
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1. Gas Regulation: role of biotic/abiotic
processes in biogeochemical cycles (e.g.
CO2/O2 balance, ozone layer, etc)
2. Climate Regulation: role of biotic/abiotic
processes (both terrestrial and aquatic) in
maintaining stable climate patterns
3. Water Flow Exchange: freshwater discharge,
runoff, retention of freshwater, natural
freshwater flow (e.g. freshwater lake
circulation; streams and river flows); tides,
currents, upwelling/downwelling (e.g.
estuarine/intertidal exchange; oceanic currents
and circulation; nearshore currents and
circulation)
4. Sediment Regulation: role of plants
/estuaries/physical forces/land forms in
sediment retention and loss
5. Elemental Regulation: role of the ecosystem
in regulating flow (e.g. input-output) of
inorganic chemicals and compounds
6. Nutrient Regulation: role of biotic/abiotic
processes that store or recycle nutrients (e.g.
N, P, & S, eutrophying agents and pollutants)
7. Pollution Control: the ability of a system
(biotic and abiotic) to absorb allochthonous
inputs derived from human activity (e.g.
detoxification)
8. Propagule Dispersal and Retention: the
natural flow of propagules within a system
through retention or export
9. Productivity Energy Source: the basis of
energy availability and flow to the food chain
and its availability for uptake (e.g. solar,
upwelling, nutrient flow)
10. Primary Productivity: the measurable
production of new biological material in a
system in relation to food web dynamics;
autotrophs
11. Consumers: higher trophic levels that
consume the products of primary productivity
(e.g. intermediate predators, apex predators,
detrivores)
12. Detritus Pathways: the incorporation of nonliving organic matter into the food chain
13. Species Diversity: the abundance and richness
of species in the ecosystem
14. Genetic Diversity: extent of genetic variation
within a species and system
15. Gamma Diversity: a measure of the overall
diversity for the different ecosystems within a
region; geographic-scale species diversity;
system-level diversity
16. Diseases: pathogens and parasites residing
within and affecting a community either
naturally or introduced
17. Habitat: suitable biotic and/or abiotic living
space for species (plant and animal) including
refugia, nursery, and spawning habitats
18. Spawning and Nursery Habitats: suitable
reproductive and juvenile habitat
19. Food: conversion of solar energy into edible
plants and animals for humans; wild and/or
cultured harvest
20. Freshwater: ecosystem's ability to filter, retain
and store freshwater
21. Raw Materials: excavation of biotic/abiotic
resources (other than food) for human
consumption (e.g. freshwater and minerals)
22. Medicinal Resources: potential yield and use
of (bio)chemical substances from natural
biota
23. Aesthetic Resources: attractive landscape
features; biota in natural systems with
potential ornamental use
24. Historical/Traditional: variety of natural
features with historical or traditional
relevance to the larger ecosystem (e.g. sites
with or without physical remnants)
25. Spiritual Resources: variety of natural
features with spiritual features
26. Recreational Resources: variety of natural
features in a system that offer various forms
of recreation and tourism opportunities, either
extractive or non-extractive
27. Science: variety of scientific values within a
system, including monitoring and research
28. Education: variety in nature with educational
values and opportunities
29. Anoxia/Hypoxia: the biotic/abiotic processes
in a system that regulate anoxic/hypoxic
conditions
30. Employment: ecosystem components linked
to and responsible for employment
31. Fire Disturbance: the role of fire events in
regulating ecosystem processes
32. Native/Indigenous: the presence of native
cultures, rights, and rituals in a system
Impacts/Influences
1. Invasive species: non-native species that
degrade either natural ecosystem function or
goods and services; any species, including its
seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological
material capable of propagating that species,
that is not native to that ecosystem; and
whose introduction does or is likely to cause
economic or environmental harm or harm to
human health1
2. Native nuisance species: native species that
degrade desired ecosystem function or
goods/services
3. Harmful algal blooms: rapid algal growth
altering food web dynamics and/or producing
neurotoxins that can be transferred to higher
trophic levels
4. Farming: raising of plant (agriculture) or
animal (livestock) matter for human/animal
consumption; generally requires a
modification of land and addition of nutrients
5. Chemical pollution: contamination of soil or
water through non-organic inputs
6. Fisheries/Living resource extraction: the
operation of commercial or recreational
fisheries within a system; living resource
extraction from a system
7. Aquaculture: production both nearshore and
offshore of plants and animals, including
hatcheries
8. Logging: to cut down and haul timber, shrubs,
and other flora; land clearing
9. Development/Building construction:
alteration of land and construction of hard
surfaces and buildings along the coast and
within a given watershed
10. Conservation activities: activities aimed at
restoring and/or maintaining habitat towards a
state of ecological integrity
11. Shoreline modification: filling or dredging
nearshore marine environments
12. Tourism/Recreation: visitation and
recreational use of a specific system by
humans
13. Material transport: movement of processed
goods through an ecosystem (e.g. shipping,
trains)
14. Light pollution: above natural light levels;
nighttime lighting
15. Noise pollution: above natural noise levels
(e.g. boat engines, air traffic)
16. Military activity: military operations
occurring within an ecosystem
17. Non-living resource extraction: removal of
physical and chemical goods from the
ecosystem (e.g. gravel, sand, oil, minerals)
18. Dams: infrastructure that impedes the natural
flow of water
19. Climate events: the occurrence of extreme
weather (e.g. heat, winds, precipitation,
hurricane, tornado) and their change over time
(e.g. climatic influences)
20. Large-scale temporal events: the presence of
strong, cyclical trends that are predictable and
may influence a system (e.g. PDO, El Nino)
21. Nutrient loading: the addition of organic
and/or inorganic material to a system; may
influence primary productivity; may include
sedimentation
22. Sedimentation: accumulation of sediment
within a given area
23. anoxia/hypoxia: the degree to which a system
or components within are moving towards
anoxic or hypoxic conditions
24. Manufacturing: large-scale mechanical
activities associated with processing goods,
including energy production
REFERENCES
1. (G. Keith Douce, David J. Moorhead, Charles T.
Bargeron, Project Coordinators, The University of
Georgiahttp://www.invasive.org/)
NOTE
We will eventually scrutinize the definitions of the
various components and impacts and revise these
axes. We think that we have a great opportunity to
couch this project in the context of the high profile
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA,
http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx)
that was recently released and is receiving a
tremendous amount of attention from scientists,
politicians, and managers alike. If we are consistent
with the terminology and framework already
established within the MEA, we may be able to
propose this project as a logical next step following
from the MEA. In the MEA, what we call “ecosystem
components” are instead termed "ecosystem services"
and divided into three groups: "provisioning
services" (economic goods and services), "regulatory
services" (ecosystem functions), and "cultural
services" (e.g., spiritual, educational, and aesthetic
value). Likewise, the MEA uses the term “direct
drivers of ecosystem change” to describe what we
call “impacts and influences.” We may ultimately
adopt the MEA's list of ecosystem services and direct
drivers of ecosystem change as well as the
terminology used therein in order to maintain
consistency with this body of work. We believe that,
by conforming to this accepted and increasingly
popularized framework, our work will be far more
accessible and will demonstrate integration with
existing research.
by Rebecca Martone — last modified 14-09-2006
15:36
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