Final answer:
The ecosystem services categorized as regulating include climate regulation and water purification. These services are essential for maintaining environmental balance and making the planet habitable. The correct option is d) Climate regulation and water purification
Step-by-step explanation:
The category of ecosystem services that includes climate regulation and water purification is known as regulating services. These services are critical for maintaining a balanced environment, as they encompass processes that help stabilize our climate, regulate the hydrologic cycle, renew soil fertility, and include the purification of air and water.
Regulating services make the planet suitable for human life by removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, filtering pollutants, and mitigating erosion and floods.
In contrast, provisioning services refer to material products obtained from ecosystems, cultural services include recreational and spiritual benefits, and supporting services are fundamental ecological processes like primary production and nutrient cycling.
The ecosystem service that is categorized as regulating is Climate regulation and water purification. Regulating services are those that help maintain the balance and functioning of ecosystems and contribute to human well-being.
Climate regulation involves the regulation of temperature, precipitation, and other climate factors, while water purification refers to the process of removing pollutants and maintaining water quality.
The correct option is d) Climate regulation and water purification