Science Common Sense
388 - What are ecosystem services, and can you give examples?
Imagine a big team working together to keep our planet healthy. This team is called an ecosystem, and it includes plants, animals, soil, water, and air. The helpful things this team does for us are called ecosystem services.
Here are some examples:
- Air Purification: Trees and plants help clean the air we breathe by removing bad stuff like pollution.
- Water Filtration: Wetlands, like swamps and marshes, help filter dirty water, making it clean and safe for us to drink.
- Soil Formation: Worms and tiny animals in the soil help break down food waste and make the soil fertile for plants to grow.
- Pollination: Bees and butterflies help plants make seeds by moving pollen from one plant to another.
- Disaster Prevention: Coral reefs protect coastlines from big waves and storms, while trees help prevent landslides by holding soil in place.
- Pest Control: Ladybugs and other insects help control pests that can harm crops, so we don't need to use as many pesticides.
- Climate Regulation: Forests help regulate the Earth's temperature by absorbing and storing carbon dioxide.
These are just a few examples of the many ecosystem services that help keep our planet healthy and happy.