Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (biocenosis) interacting with the physical environment in which they live – the biotope.

Ecosystem services are the benefits provided by ecosystems to human societies: 

• Procurement services
• Regulatory services
• Support services
• Cultural services

These are the tangible and intangible benefits that humans derive from the way ecosystems function. 

If ecosystems are degraded, so too are the benefits we can derive from them.