295 R. Lal et al. (eds.), Ecosystem Services and Carbon Sequestration in the Biosphere, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-6455-2_12, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013 Chapter 12 Preserving Regulating and Cultural Ecosystem Services: Transformation, Degradation and Conservation Status Benis Nchine Egoh and Joachim Maes B.N. Egoh (*) • J. Maes European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via E. Fermi 2,749, TP460, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy e-mail: benis.egoh@jrc.ec.europa.eu; ebenis@gmail.com Contents 12.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 296 12.2 Cultural Ecosystem Service: Recreation......................................................................... 298 12.3 Regulating Ecosystem Service: Carbon Sequestration ................................................... 298 12.4 Degradation of Regulating Ecosystem Services ............................................................. 299 12.4.1 Effects of Land Degradation on Ecosystem Services ....................................... 299 12.4.2 Case Study: Transformation of Hotspots and Ranges of Five Ecosystem Services in South Africa ..................................................... 300 12.5 Ecosystem Services in Protected Areas .......................................................................... 304 12.6 Congruence Between Cultural Services and Carbon Sequestration ............................... 307 12.7 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 309 References .................................................................................................................................. 309 Abstract For many years humans have benefited from provisioning services such as meat from hunting of wild animals, raw material and livestock grazing; regulating services such as water and climate regulation; supporting services such as soil fertility; and cultural services such as recreation. These Ecosystem Services (ESs) are now being degraded and used unsustainably around the world. Understanding the levels of threats facing various ESs and their conservation status is important for safeguarding them. In this study, the degradation and transformation of five regulating ESs in South Africa have been examined. Results showed that at least 10 % of the total hotspot area and 20 % of the total area that provide substantial amount (the range) of all five ESs has been transformed or degraded. The range of water regulation and