Ecological services rivers Grantham University Cassandra Calloway GS104 Environmental Science

In my mini reading I had read that ecological services of our water resources provide important ecological and economic services. And there are particularly evident in the services provided by rivers. According to the Ecological society of America ecosystem (or ecological) services are processes by which the environment produces resources that we often take for granted. The ecological systems support plants and animals; they also provide vital services to people that improve well-being. Ecosystems purify water and air, reduce flood and drought risks, provide food and fuel, and support recreation, there are many benefits. To ensure there valuable services continue, our natural areas must be healthy. Ecosystem is a community of animals and plants interacting with one another and with their physical environment. Ecosystems include physical and chemical components, such as soils, water, and nutrients that support the organisms living with them. Those organisms may range from large animals and plants to microscopic bacteria. Ecosystem includes the interactions among all organisms in a given habitat. People are part of ecosystems. The health and wellbeing of human populations depends upon the services provided by ecosystems and their components organisms’ soil, water, and nutrients. The natural ecosystems and the plants and animals within them provide humans with services that would be very difficult to duplicate. While it is often impossible to place an accurate monetary amount on ecosystem services we can calculate some of the financial values. According to the ecological society of American many of these services are performed seemingly for free yet are worth many trillions of dollars, for example: much of the Mississippi River valley’s natural flood protection services were destroyed when adjacent wetlands were drained and channels altered. In 1993 floods resulted in property damages estimated at twelve billion dollars partially from the inability of valley to lessen the impacts of the high volumes of water. Eighty percent of the world’s population relies upon natural medicinal products. Top 150 prescription drug used in the U.S., 118 originate from natural sources, 74 percent from plants, 18 percent from fungi 5 percent from bacteria and 3 percent from one vertebrate (snake species). Nine of the top 10 drugs originate from natural plant products. Maintain Biodiversity- is important because each species of vegetation and each creature has a place on the earth and plays a vital role in the circle of life. Plant animal and insect species interact and depend upon one another for what each offers. A vaster biodiversity helps prevent the spread of disease from animals to people. In ecosystems, the great diversity in living organisms contributes to air and water purification, stabilization of the earth’s climate, and plant pollination. The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region. The 3 reasons why it is important to maintain biodiversity is for the health, the health of planet and the health of other living creatures. For example, if you only bred a certain type of cow for milk, what would happen if that breed of cow died due to a disease? Breeding several breeds could ensure survival of the specie. Biodiversity actually boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. In addition to showing respect for other living organisms on our planet, we should care about biodiversity because it benefits humans in the following ways: Genes, Biological control agents, Food sources, Natural products, Environmental services, Enjoyment, Scientific interest, Self- perpetuation and Future potential for even more uses. Regulating disease carrying organisms is important because it limits the spread of pathogens, helps maintain ecosystems that these organisms are an integral part of and help ensure that crops and natural vegetation can be pollinated. Regulating disease carrying organisms is a part of the us Forest Service’s Mission to protect the nation’s wildlife. Contribute to climate stability a reduction in carbon emissions and greenhouse gases could contribute to climate stability and lead to decline in human influence.