UPSC Prelims 2012 · Question 94 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2012 question on Ecosystem Services Millennium Assessment
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2012
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectEnvironment and Ecology
- TopicEcology and Ecosystem
- DifficultyMedium
- TypeDirect
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment describes the following major categories of ecosystem services—provisioning, supporting, regulating, preserving and cultural. Which one of the following is supporting service?
Show answer
Answer: C. Nutrient cycling and crop pollination
Verdict
Correct Answer: Nutrient cycling and crop pollination
Analysis
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment classifies ecosystem services into four major categories: provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services.
Supporting services are basic ecological processes that make other ecosystem services possible.
1. Nutrient cycling — Correct
Nutrient cycling is a supporting service.
It helps recycle essential nutrients like carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in ecosystems.
It forms the base for soil fertility, plant growth and overall ecosystem productivity.
2. Crop pollination — Correct
Crop pollination helps in plant reproduction and food production.
Although pollination is often classified as a regulating service, in this question it is treated as a supporting ecological process because it supports crop production.
This makes it part of the correct answer in the given UPSC context.
Extra UPSC info
* Supporting services include nutrient cycling, soil formation, primary production and water cycling.
* Provisioning services provide direct goods such as food, fresh water, timber, fibre and medicines.
* Regulating services include climate regulation, disease control, flood control and water purification.
* Cultural services include recreation, aesthetic value, spiritual value and educational benefits.
* Do not confuse ecosystem functions with ecosystem services; services are ecosystem benefits linked to human well-being.
* The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was launched under the UN framework in 2001.
How to crack it
Nutrient cycling and crop pollination are treated as supporting services here because they help maintain the ecological base required for food production and other ecosystem benefits.
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