The ways in which ecosystems like the ocean serve mankind are known as

How the sea serves us

> Many of the ecosystem services provided by the sea are threatened today by overexploitation, environmental pollution and greenhouse gases. Yet in many cases, how severely individual habitats are degraded and ecosystem services are impaired is just not known. Researchers are therefore attempting to assess the exact condition of marine ecosystems. Such analysis is important in order to plan concrete protection measures and to define critical limits and target values.

The bounty of the sea © Science Photo Library/Steve Gschmeissner/Getty Images

The bounty of the sea

> Since time immemorial we humans have been living with the seas and from their bounty. They provide us with food, mineral resources, transportation routes and other services. The climate-regulating effect of the oceans and the biochemical processes that take place in the sea are of fundamental importance. Today, some of these services are under threat, which i

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