Ecological Services - Essay Example

Ecological services are beneficial to the entire eco system. Ecological services include, purifying air, purifying water, decomposing wastes and manyother services. These ecological services are important to keep the earth in working order. Earth has specific requirements that are necessary for earth to function correctly. Plants need the proper amount of water and nutrients just as well as the air needs a proper amount of pureness in order for adequate human consumption. The concept behind ecological services is to benefit the eco system.

Rivers, air, and land are a requirement for human life to remain sustainable. Ecological services help to maintain these necessary requirements. Decreasing evaporation, maintaining proper water quality, using natural resources for clean energy is all very important in ecological services. Each services carries out a specific role that contributes to one another in some way. Two services that are most important from “The Ecological Service of Rivers”, includes providing water for drinking and the providing of irrigation water.

Each one of these services contributes to eating and drinking which are important for human survival. Without clean water to drink and water to replenish growing seeds, human life could not remain stable. A river is an important provider of drinking water. Providing drinking water is one of the most important ecological services that rivers can provide. Providing clean drinking water allows for human and animal replenishment that is free of toxins. Toxins that can be found in water include pesticides, diseases, parasites and carcinogens.

Another reason why drinking water is so important is because of the cleaning it can provide which leads to a safe environment. Clean water can help prep an area for surgery and allow for proper and safe preparation of food. Clean drinking water also continues to help maintain clean drinking water. When clean water is used and then recycled it is easier for water to keep its cleanliness. Irrigation is important for proper vegetation. A rivers ability to provide the ecological service of irrigation helps maintain life.

Irrigation can help seeds grow even when an area may be in a drought. Being able to sustain enough water to irrigate crops will provide much vegetation. Irrigation also makes for proper land up keep. Many use irrigation to water plants that don’t produce food. Irrigation can help trees grow which provide oxygen and flowers that provide pollen. Each element of life is important as each life feeds from one another in a different way. Ecological services that are provided by rivers are not always the easiest to maintain.

Human involvement can have negative impacts on eco systems. The availability of fish is likely to decline due to human influence. Over population and changing environments make it hard for fish to produce in a manner that is adequate enough for human consumption. “It is important for humans to learn to invest and value these natural resources”. (Shuang, L., Costanza, R., Farber, S., & Troy, A 2010) Another ecological service that is likely to decline is drinking water. Humans overuse of pesticides and chemicals create water that is unsafe to drink.

A negative effect of this is that drinking water may become unsafe and the constant need for purification in order for the water to remain safe again. “Suppliers need to ensure the water is safe and take necessary precautions to ensure transportation is kept sanitary”. (Rizak, S. S., & Hrudey, S. E.2008) Without constant monitoring drinking water will continue to decline. ReferencesShuang, L., Costanza, R., Farber, S., & Troy, A. (2010). Valuing ecosystem services. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1185(1), 54-78. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05167.xRizak, S. S., & Hrudey, S. E. (2008).

Drinking-water safety - challenges for community- managed systems. Journal of Water & Health, 633-41. doi:10.2166/wh.2008.033