Supporting services

Definition

Supporting services refer to the natural processes and functions provided by ecosystems that are essential for the production of all other ecosystem services. These services include nutrient cycling, soil formation, and primary production, which create the foundation necessary for other ecosystem services such as provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. Understanding these services helps to appreciate how ecosystems maintain their productivity and sustain life on Earth.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Supporting services are crucial for maintaining the ecological processes that enable life, including soil formation and nutrient cycling.
2. Without supporting services, ecosystems would struggle to produce other essential services like food production and climate regulation.
3. These services enhance biodiversity by providing habitats and resources necessary for various species to thrive.
4. The degradation of supporting services can lead to reduced ecosystem resilience and compromised functioning.
5. Maintaining healthy ecosystems is vital for ensuring the continued provision of supporting services to support human life and well-being.

Review Questions

• How do supporting services interact with other types of ecosystem services to maintain ecosystem health?
  • Supporting services interact closely with provisioning, regulating, and cultural services by providing the fundamental processes necessary for those services to function. For example, nutrient cycling contributes to soil fertility, which is vital for food production (a provisioning service). Without these foundational processes, ecosystems would fail to produce the resources we depend on and would be less resilient to changes or disturbances.
• Evaluate the impact of biodiversity loss on supporting services within an ecosystem.
  • Biodiversity loss can severely impact supporting services because diverse species contribute to various ecological functions that sustain these services. For instance, different plant species play unique roles in nutrient cycling and soil formation. When biodiversity declines, the redundancy that allows ecosystems to maintain function under stress diminishes, leading to weakened supporting services. This decline can create a cascading effect on provisioning and regulating services, ultimately affecting human well-being.
• Discuss the implications of climate change on supporting services and the potential consequences for global food security.
  • Climate change poses significant threats to supporting services by altering ecological processes such as nutrient cycling and soil formation. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can disrupt these processes, leading to soil degradation and decreased primary productivity. As supporting services weaken, the ability of ecosystems to provide food (a provisioning service) becomes compromised. This can lead to reduced crop yields and increased food insecurity globally, particularly affecting vulnerable populations that rely heavily on local ecosystems for their sustenance.

Related terms

ecosystem functions: The natural processes and interactions that occur within ecosystems, including energy flow and nutrient cycling, which support various ecological processes.

biodiversity: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, which contributes to resilience and stability, ultimately supporting ecosystem functions and services.

provisioning services: The products obtained from ecosystems, such as food, fresh water, wood, fiber, and genetic resources, which rely on the supporting services provided by ecosystems.