What Is the Ecosystem Service - Assignment Example

3. What actions by humans can disrupt this ecosystem service Overfishing has caused depletion in stock as well as environment destruction by resource exhaustion by human beings. Recreational and commercial fishing has reduced the service immensely. The service has also been endangered because of nonnative species in the ecosystem. In 1994 it was discovered that Lake trout had been illegally introduced into the Yellowstone Lake (Varley & Schullery, 1995). The economic losses are also astounding.

It is estimated that if the lake trout are not controlled then there would be an economic loss of $685 million by 2025. 4. What must we do to replace this ecosystem service if it (or the ecosystem that provides it) is destroyedChanges in fishing regulations have restored numbers of the population however it is thought that the only way to save the service is to control the lake trout. There have been many suggestions, for example, it has been suggested that this can be done through Status Quo Angling which means killing any caught trout and reporting it to the park authorities, killing the embryos of lake trout has also been another suggestion along with the use of sterile male Lake Trout being introduced to the lake and the use of trap nets however the cost of this is high (McIntyre, 1995).

It can be concluded that in order to maintain control an aggressive program must be in place but the likelihood of irradiation of Lake trout is low but can be reduced which will ensure that ecotourism and sports can continue as a recreational and cultural ecosystem service.