Regulating ecosystem services are those that help control or moderate natural processes such as climate, water, and disease, rather than directly providing material goods like food or timber.

Common examples of regulating services include:

  • Climate regulation (carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas regulation)
  • Air quality regulation (plants filtering pollutants)
  • Water purification and filtration
  • Flood and erosion control
  • Disease and pest regulation (biological control, predators controlling prey)
  • Pollination
  • Waste decomposition and detoxification

By contrast, things like wood fuel, medicine, food, and fresh water are provisioning services, not regulating services.