ABSTRACT
Ecological goods and services that benefit at least one person are called ecosystem services. Examples include pollination by bees, the aquifer recharge services by wetlands, breathable air, biodiversity, nitrogen fixation in the soil, climate regulation through carbon sequestration, as well as aesthetic and recreation services. This chapter covers the categories of ecosystem services (provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural), the valuation of those ecosystem services, and institutional mechanisms for protecting ecosystem service. Valuation examples include coral reefs, pollination services, and wolf reintroduction. Mechanisms available for protecting ecosystem services covered in this chapter include payments for ecosystem services, debt-for-nature swaps, tradable entitlements, and climate sequestration credits.
