More about ecosystem goods and services (EGS)

Ecosystem goods and services , also referred to as nature’s benefits, are defined as outputs of ecological functions or processes that directly or indirectly contribute to social welfare, or have the potential to do so in the future (modified from U.S. EPA 2006). 

Final ecosystem goods and services (or final ecosystem services) are “components of nature, directly enjoyed, consumed, or used to yield human well-being” (Boyd & Banzhaf 2007).  The words components of nature mean that a service is defined in terms of the (beneficial) natural entity itself, and not the benefit humans derive from it.  The word directly implies that final ecosystem services are things enjoyed (consumed, used) as end products rather than as inputs to something else.  For example, a game fish population occurring in an accessible location for fishing is directly enjoyed by sport fishers; the critical spawning and foraging habitats required by the game fish population are considered “inputs,” not final goods or services.  Inputs are also referred to as intermediate ecosystem goods and services.

Intermediate ecosystem goods and services (or intermediate ecosystem services) are components of nature from which humans derive indirect benefits.  For example, while drinking water provided by ecosystems is a final ecosystem service, the purification of water via an ecological process is an intermediate ecosystem service.