4.4.7—Eutrophication and ecosystem services
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 4.4.7
- Level
- HL
Turn Ecological Change into Service Loss
Pollution becomes a social cost when an ecological change removes food, recreation, health protection or cultural services.
Low oxygen lowers fish survival; turbidity reduces recreation; toxic blooms threaten drinking water and livestock; treatment and monitoring costs rise. Identify who experiences each loss.
A fishery closure protects health but removes income from fishers, while residents may gain safer water.
Services distribute costs and benefits unevenly; one measure cannot represent all impacts.
An ecosystem service is not only a market price; health, culture and recreation also count.