What are ecosystem services?

Ecosystem services refer to the wide range of benefits that healthy ecosystems provide to support human life and well-being. These services can include provisioning services such as the supply of food and fresh water, regulating services like climate regulation and disease control, cultural services including recreational and spiritual benefits, and supporting services that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services, such as soil formation and nutrient cycling.

Understanding ecosystem services is essential in environmental health because they play a crucial role in maintaining the natural processes that contribute to a healthy environment. For instance, forests can help clean the air and water, while wetlands can provide flood protection and habitat for wildlife. Recognizing these benefits emphasizes the importance of conserving ecosystems to ensure continued support for human health and survival.

Other options, while related to economic or government functions, do not encapsulate the comprehensive role of ecosystems in providing foundational benefits to humanity in the same way ecosystem services do.