LWB: Lesson - Ecosystem Services (Topic 2.2) 📖

⏳ Estimated Reading Time: 4 - 6 minutes

Describe ecosystem services and the results of human disruptions to ecosystem services.

Ecosystem Services

rosy periwinkle flower — The rosy periwinkle, found in rainforests, is used to treat cancers. When compounds found in the rosy periwinkle, are used to treat childhood leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease, patients have a 99% chance of remission.

Ecosystem services are the benefits humans receive from ecosystems - either directly or indirectly. The value of natural species and ecosystems can be categorized as follows:

Sources for food, water, medicines, and raw materials (provisioning)
Controlling natural processes, such as climate, air quality, and water quality (regulating)
Recreational, aesthetic, spiritual, and educational value (cultural)
Maintaining the basic ecological processes necessary for life, such as soil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling (supporting)

Some people only value species if they are worthwhile to them in some way. An important consideration is that we do not know all of the supporting and regulating services every species has for humans, so it is likely that there is a species that we think may not have a lot of value, but that is just because we haven’t discovered the use for that species yet.

Rosy periwinkle is not the only plant with anti-cancer properties: over 3000 plants have been identified as having anti-cancer properties. Another example is that scientists estimate that 30,000 different plants have edible parts that could be used for food, even though three species currently satisfy 50% of our global food demand.

Essential Knowledge

There are four categories of ecosystem services: provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting.

Threats to Ecosystem Services

Human activities can affect the health of ecosystems. In AP environmental science, we use the acronym HIPPCO to remember the major threats to biodiversity and ecosystems. Each letter in HIPPCO stands for a different threat. Explore the tabs below to learn more about each ecosystem threat, which can affect the services provided by disturbed ecosystems:

Habitat Destruction

forest with trees cut down — **Deforestation is a type of habitat destruction.**

What is it?

The conversion, fragmentation, or degradation of natural habitats by human activities, such as deforestation, urbanization, mining, agriculture, etc.

Why is it a problem?

It reduces the area and quality of habitats available for wildlife and disrupts the ecological processes and functions that sustain them.

Invasive Species

zebra mussels — **Zebra mussels are an invasive species that have caused problems in the Great Lakes.**

What is it?

The introduction of non-native species to new environments, either intentionally or accidentally, by human activities, such as trade, travel, agriculture, etc.

Why is it a problem?

These species can outcompete, prey on, or hybridize with native species, alter the ecosystem structure and function, and spread diseases.

Population Growth

a crowd of people — **The human population is growing exponentially.**

What is it?

The increase in human population size and density, especially in developing countries, which leads to higher demand and consumption of natural resources, such as land, water, food, energy, etc.

Why is it a problem?

Human population growth puts pressure on the environment and depletes the resources available for wildlife.

Pollution

a polluted waterway with a person in a canoe — **Pollution can reduce the quality of habitats for humans and other organisms.**

What is it?

The contamination of the environment by harmful substances, such as chemicals, plastics, metals, radiation, etc., that are released by human activities, such as industry, agriculture, transportation, etc.

Why is it a problem?

These substances can affect the health and survival of wildlife, reduce the quality of habitats, and disrupt the biogeochemical cycles.

Climate Change

This image contrasts two photographs of a glacier from 1918 and 2011. The 1918 photo shows a dense glacier filling a valley, with rugged mountains behind. The 2011 photo shows the glacier significantly retreated, revealing bare rock and a small glacial lake, highlighting environmental changes over 93 years. — **Glaciers are retreating due to the warming climate.**

What is it?

The alteration of the global climate patterns, such as temperature, precipitation, wind, etc., due to the increase in greenhouse gases emitted by human activities (burning fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture, etc.).

Why is it a problem?

This affects the distribution and adaptation of wildlife, alters the timing and intensity of natural events (seasons, migrations, fires, floods, etc.), and increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events (droughts, heat waves, storms, etc).

We will learn about all of these disruptions to populations in more detail when we study global change at the end of this course. It will be important, as we move through this course, for you to think about how each human activity we discuss affects the biodiversity of an ecosystem.

Because many of our ecosystem services are tied to our economy, a disruption to ecosystem services or a sharp decline in these services can have wide-ranging economic consequences.

Essential Knowledge

Anthropogenic activities can disrupt ecosystem services, potentially resulting in economic and ecological consequences.

AP Exam Tip

Throughout this course, you will be asked to determine ecological and economic effects and consequences of different actions. ECOLOGICAL (🌱) refers to the environment or the natural ecosystem. ECONOMIC (💵) effects always refer to money and how that action affects money.

You will need to memorize what HIPPCO stands for.

[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN LESSON.