ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the range of ecosystem services provided by grasslands based on an expert review of the current literature. It looks at the potential of grasslands to contribute to poverty alleviation through a South African case study. In South Africa, most of the regulating ecosystem services mapped by Egoh et al. The importance of ecosystems in providing ecosystem services and supporting human well-being has been largely recognised by the scientific community and policymakers, but grasslands have been mostly neglected by these communities. The focus has primarily been on ecosystems like forests due to their importance in providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage and the importance of carbon storage in mitigating threats from climate change. Grasslands are important for water regulating services. Despite the range of ecosystem services provided by grasslands, some disservices or negative impacts on humans have been recorded.
