Posts in this category are about Ecosystem Services, which are those valuable, ongoing streams of benefits provided by thriving ecosystems. These services are inherently renewable, but require that the physical basis for the productivity and diversity of nature must not be systematically deteriorated.

Some of the most significant ecosystem services include: – purification of air and water – mitigation of floods and droughts – detoxification and decomposition of wastes – generation and renewal of soil and soil fertility – pollination of crops and natural vegetation – control of agricultural pests – dispersal of seeds and nutrients – maintenance of biodiversity – protection from ultraviolet rays – stabilization of climate – moderation of temperature extremes and the force of winds and waves – support of diverse human cultures.

(Adapted from ConservationEconomy.net)