Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
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Regulation of environmental quality;
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Regulation of environmental quality at urban regions;
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Carbon sequestration;
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Climate regulation;
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Waste decomposition and contaminant detoxification;
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Air, water, and wastewater purification;
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Erosion prevention;
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Maintenance of soil quality;
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Moderation of extreme events;
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Pest and disease control (biological control);
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Crop pollination service.
Habitat services:
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Nutrient dispersal and cycling;
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Primary production;
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Maintenance of life cycles of migratory species;
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Maintenance of genetic diversity;
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Seed dispersal.
Cultural services:
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Information for cognitive development;
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Esthetic information, art, and design;
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Cultural, intellectual, and spiritual inspiration;
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Recreational experiences, tourism;
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Scientific discovery.
Ecosystem services form a sensitive network with each other and with the society
and its needs, such as material requirement, human health and security, individual
well-being, and social relationships. Figure 1.14 shows the simplified relationships,
reflecting the human point of view while evaluating ecosystem services. Ecosystem ser-
vices are valued by humans according to the reliability of the provisioning and cultural
services. The regulating service of the ecosystem is not evaluated directly, but only
through the reliability of the supply of provisioning and cultural services. The func-
tional groups of the ecosystem are responsible for provisioning and cultural services
which is why biodiversity is considered as the key to reliability. Greater biodiversity
ensures better tolerance and resistance to extreme conditions. This is the main reason
why biodiversity has to be protected.
Another more holistic approach could evaluate ecosystem services, chiefly the
regulating services in order to maintain the balance in the global ecosystem. When the
regulating service of the ecosystem is in focus (Figure 1.15), it is clear that we have
to protect and be aware of not overloading those compartments and processes, which
are responsible for this function.
Perfect regulating services result in good provisioning and cultural services. Sup-
porting the regulating services of the ecosystem not only requires good functional state
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