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Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics pp 1–10Cite as

Provision of Agricultural Ecosystem Services

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Synonyms

Agricultural ecosystems; Conservation agriculture; Ecosystem services; Sustainable agriculture

Introduction

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms, including plants, animals, and microbes, plus the nonliving components of their environment, such as water and minerals, interacting together as a system or an ecological unit (e.g., a pasture or forest). Ecosystems may also be viewed as a form of natural capital, which provides flows of vital goods and services to humans (e.g., Daily 1997). These goods and services are called ecosystem services (ES) and are often defined as the “benefits people obtain either directly or indirectly from ecosystems” (MEA 2005). Many ES are critical to human survival (e.g., climate regulation and nutrient cycling), while others contribute to our well-being (e.g., nature recreation and rural lifestyles) (Kremen 2005).

Scientists and scholars have traditionally focused on natural ecosystems, such as wetlands and ponds, for ES provision (e.g.,...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

    Heidi R. Stallman

  2. Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Missouri, 146 Mumford Hall, 65211, Columbia, MO, USA

    Jr. Harvey S. James

Authors
  1. Heidi R. Stallman
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  2. Jr. Harvey S. James
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heidi R. Stallman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University Dept. Philosophy, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

    Paul B. Thompson

  2. University of North Texas Dept. Philosophy & Religion Studies, Denton, Texas, USA

    David M. Kaplan

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Stallman, H.R., James, H.S. (2014). Provision of Agricultural Ecosystem Services. In: Thompson, P., Kaplan, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_137-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_137-4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6167-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities

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