Ecological Services Essay Example

Ecological service is the process by which the environment within which we live provides us with the reliable resources that are necessary for the human survival in the habitat within which they are situated. The availability of such resources in the environment such as clean air, clean water, food and any other materials that are necessary for the entire survival of the human race in their habitat is what the concept of ecological services entail. The assessments of ecological services include the ways in which purification of air is done, maintenance of the entire biodiversity process, decomposition of waste products, renewal of soil and generation of vegetation are among the processes that occur with the ecological services. The key concept here tends to explain the process in which these processes are used to maintain the ecological balance.
River ecosystems cover the river channels and their mosaic forms including the floodplains that they form between the land and water. During floods whenever it rains, water carries important nutrients and the fertile soil of the flood plains. These soil component carries nutrients which are essential for the growth of various crops. This influences the productivity of a specific place alone the river bed and the floodplain. At the same time, these floodplains often act as sieves to the river waters. This means that the water passing through the floodplains are sieved, and some of the impurities of the water such as some of the sediments suspended in water are sieved by the floodplains thereby allowing the water to flow freely through the water system. Besides, they often act as sponges such that they regulate the amount of water that flows through the river system. These floodplains are important such that some of the floodplains especially those in the riparian areas often provide the river system with carbon, which is organic matter. This component is essential for the sustaining the riverine plants that grow along the river systems and to sustain the microorganisms along the river system.
Water resources are important ecological aspects that human beings cannot survive without. The water resource plays a major role in ensuring the survival and conditions for the human race. Water resources often contribute a lot when it comes to providing consumable fresh water to the humans. Therefore, without their water resources such as rivers, lakes, and others, there will not be any clean water for domestic consumption or industrial use. Water is the most important ecological component that humans cannot live without. Water resources such as lakes initiate rainfall through the general rainfall cycle. However, when the cycle is still at the stage high in the sky as clouds, these clouds help to minimize the effects of sun’s rays on the human beings and any other living things. Therefore the clouds are essential for minimizing some harmful sunrays from reaching the earth surface; these rays include the x-rays and others.
The human environment benefits a lot from the water resources. However, it is sad to note that some of our actions could lead to the depreciation of these resources. The water cycle does not only begin with the water resources; but they also begin with the trees, which we plant in our environment as well. However, the recent studies reveal that many people cut down many trees than they are planting. Vegetation is an important aspect of our ecological niche. Therefore it is unfortunate to be living in an environment without healthy vegetation with the reason that we humans have cut them down without replacement. This human action will lead to desertification of initially very fertile areas. Therefore, it is one of the adverse actions that humans do and contribute significantly to the adverse environmental conditions.