Our challenge for the future is that we realize we are very much a part of the earth’s ecosystem, and we must learn to respect and live according to the basic biological laws of nature.” β€”Jim Fowler

Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being.

As we often mention ecosystem services in our publications and presentations, we wanted to have a description of this important concept readily accessible on our site.

The details below are a direct excerpt from the TEEB Organization’s Ecosystem Services Resource page β€”please refer to their website for further details and references on the topic.


The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment defined four categories of ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being, each underpinned by biodiversity. These are Provisioning services; Regulating services; Supporting services, and Cultural services, and are defined as follows:

Provisioning Services

Provisioning Services are ecosystem services that describe the material or energy outputs from ecosystems. They include food, water, and other resources.


Food β–Ή Ecosystems provide the conditions for growing food. Food comes principally from managed agroecosystems but marine and freshwater systems or forests also provide food for human consumption. Wild foods from forests are often underestimated.


Raw materials β–Ή Ecosystems provide a great diversity of materials for construction and fuel including wood, biofuels, and plant oils that are directly derived from wild and cultivated plant species.


Freshwater β–Ή Ecosystems play a vital role in the global hydrological cycle, as they regulate the flow and purification of water. Vegetation and forests influence the quantity of water available locally.


Medicinal resources β–Ή Ecosystems and biodiversity provide many plants used as traditional medicines as well as providing the raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry. All ecosystems are a potential source of medicinal resources.

Regulating Services

Supporting Services

Cultural Services

Source: Direct excerpt from TEEB Ecosystem Services Resource Page


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