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Global Status of Provisioning, Regulating, and Cultural Ecosystem Services Evaluated in the Millennium Assessment

Global Status of Provisioning, Regulating, and Cultural Ecosystem Services Evaluated in the Millennium Assessment
The table below summarizes the MA’s finding on ecosystem services. The “Status” column indicates whether in the recent past the condition of the service globally has been enhanced () or degraded () or whether there has been no consistent global pattern ()
Service Subcategory Status Notes
Provisioning Services
Food crops Substantial production increase
  livestock Substantial production increase
  capture fisheries Declining production due to overharvest
  aquaculture Substantial production increase
  wild foods Declining production
Fiber timber Forest loss in some regions, growth in others
  cotton, hemp, silk Declining production of some fibers, growth in others
  wood fuel Declining production
Genetic resources   Lost through extinction and crop genetic resource loss
Biochemicals, natural medicines, pharmaceuticals   Loss through extinction, overharvest
Fresh water   Unsustainable use for drinking, industry, and irrigation; amount of hydro energy unchanged, but dams increase ability to use that energy
Regulating Services
Air quality regulation   Declining ability of atmosphere to cleanse itself
Climate regulation global Net source of carbon sequestration since mid-century
  regional and local Preponderance of negative impacts
Water regulation   Varies depending on ecosystem change and location
Erosion regulation   Increased soil degradation
Water purification and waste treatment   Declining water quality
Disease regulation   Varies depending on ecosystem change
Pest regulation   Natural control degraded through pesticide use
Pollination   Apparent global decline in abundance of pollinators
Natural hazard regulation   Loss of natural buffers (wetlands, mangroves)
Cultural Services
Spiritual and religious values   Rapid decline in sacred groves and species
Aesthetic values   Decline in quantity and quality of natural lands
Recreation and ecotourism   More areas accessible but many degraded
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005a