Ecosystem Services From Forests

Ecosystem Services From Forests

1. Hydrological cycle

   • Plays major role within the cycle
   • Interception from foliage increases evporation rates but decreases infiltration
   • absorbs water through root systems
   • Transpiration rates are greater than any other terrestrial ecosystem
   • Help soil formation and reduce erosion

2. Habitat Managmemet/ provision

   • Different tree species support unique communities within a forest
   • Most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystem
   • Trees provide variations in abiotic factors such as light level, wavelength, humidity, temperature and wind velocity
   • Increased by stratification within forests
   • Create diverse habitats with large variety of possible ecological niches

3. Atmospheric regulation

   • Carbon dioxide sink
   • Photosynthesis and respiration in forest
   • Stored as Cabohydrate cellulose main compoent in wood
   • Long residence time
   • Realses carbon which is vital for aerobic organisms and maintain of the ozone layer

4. Soil Conservation

   • DOM contributes humus and nutrients to the soil
     • Food energy for detrivotres and decomposers
   • Trees prevent soil being washed or blown away
     • Through interception and reducing wind velocity
   • Living trees and leaf litter on the soil surface help to reduce wind velocity and the impact of rain drops
   • Tree roots hold soil together reducing erosion by water runoff
   • Humus from decomposed veg binds soil together
   • Forest soil with lots of organic matter will have lots of organisms including worms

5. Forest Microclimate

   • Light
     • Canopy of vegetation absorbs lots of solar insolation
     • Plants below canopy have access to much less light and much of it is not effectivlry absorbed
     • Speical adapations such as denser chlorophyll, additional pigments or growth peirods when the trees have lost their leaves
   • Wind Velocity
     • Lower wind velocity produced by the shelter of trees
     • Plants below canopy lvl uses pollinatiors and seed dispersal rather than wind
   • Humidity
     • High humdiity lvls means animals eg amphibians can survive more easily as theit skin does not dry out