Regulating ecosystem services are those that benefit humans by regulating natural processes and maintaining environmental conditions. Examples of ecosystem services categorized as regulating include:
- Air quality regulation
- Climate regulation (carbon storage, carbon sequestration)
- Water regulation and purification
- Erosion control
- Disease regulation
- Pest regulation
- Pollination
- Natural hazard regulation (flood control, disaster mitigation)
- Decomposition
These services play crucial roles in maintaining ecosystem health and balance, often indirectly supporting human well-being and economic activities such as agriculture. They are distinct from provisioning services (direct products like food and water), cultural services (non-material benefits like recreation or spiritual value), and supporting services (underlying processes like nutrient cycling).
So, ecosystem services such as pollination, decomposition, water purification, air quality regulation, climate regulation, erosion prevention, and natural disaster control are all categorized as regulating services.
