Temperate Forest Ecosystem Services

Temperate forests have been the starting point for many great civilizations in both hemispheres. One of the reasons is the different resources and services these forests could provide. It is sometimes hard to consider these services as they are taken for granted since they have been in our lives forever. With the recent valuation of ecosystems the price tag of the services, gives an indication of the condition and importance these services are to our well-being.

So what do Temperate Forests provide for us?

Hydrological services

Forests act like a filter by purifying the water in addition to reducing the risk of flooding. The forest canopy intercepts the water reaching the ground and some of it, is used up through the root system and transpires. Furthermore, they supply water for domestic and industrial consumption, protect watersheds (Figure 1), provide water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation (Ninan K.N. & Inoue M.,2013).

Figure 1: Forested watersheds are exceptionally stable hydrological systems (Canada) (FAO)

Soil Protection

Soil erosion is a hazard for many parts of the world. As in the case of rainforests, temperate forests protect the soil by preventing damage of the top soil and nutrient loss, siltation of rivers and dams. In addition to this they help prevent the degradation of land and crop productivity (Ninan K.N. & Inoue M., 2013).

Carbon Sequestration

Similarly to oceans, forests act as major contributors to the sinking of carbon. The assimilation of carbon by the forest and the release of oxygen regulates the atmosphere. Logging activities and burning release the stored carbon back into the atmosphere as the CO₂ greenhouse gas (Ninan K.N. & Inoue M., 2013). Carbon is also locked up in the soil. This carbon is incorporated by the detritus as organic matter through the litter and its decomposition and it is of high importance to the forest productivity (Nave L.E., et al,2010).

Recreation

Temperate forests provide numerous recreational benefits. Due to the different latitudes theses ecosystems are found, the recreational activities vary providing different experiences to the people (Ninan K.N. & Inoue M., 2013). Some of the activities include wildlife viewing, nature walks, tourism, hunting (although I don’t really approve of that) and enjoying the scenery (Pearce D. & Moran D., 1994).

Other services

Historically, temperate forests were a source of timber as fuel wood and building material for houses and furniture (NúñezD., et al., 2006). In addition to this, temperate forests are the home of many endemic species of fauna and flora (Bond, 2010). The pollinators contribute to a high value service in these forests.

These services are only the ones that are most useful to humans and have a big impact on our lives with the absence of temperate forests. Nowadays, it is necessary to put a value on the environment in order to appreciate its existence. I will be discussing this in a later blog post. 

Happy New Year!!