how are ecosystem services and environmental indicators related

Ecosystem services and environmental indicators are interrelated concepts in the field of environmental science that describe different aspects of ecosystem health and function.

Ecosystem services refer to the benefits that humans derive from the natural environment and properly functioning ecosystems. These services include provisioning services like food and water; regulating services that affect climate, floods, and disease; supporting services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling; and cultural services such as recreational, spiritual, educational, and aesthetic benefits.

Environmental indicators, on the other hand, are measurable values that provide information on the state of the environment. They serve as tools for assessing the health of an ecosystem, detecting changes over time, and helping to understand the interplay between human activities and the natural environment. Indicators can be physical, chemical, biological, or socio-economic, such as air quality, water quality, biodiversity, and land use changes.