Ecosystem services provided by small streams: an overview

Small streams constitute the majority of the water courses in a catchment and have specific characteristics that distinguish them from larger streams and rivers. Despite their small size and frequently remote locations, small streams contribute to ecosystem services that are important for humans. Here, we have identified 27 ecosystem services that small streams provide: seven supporting services, eight regulating services, five provisioning services and seven cultural services. Small streams are especially important for the maintenance of biodiversity, which is the basis of many ecosystem services. Small streams also support ecosystem services provided by larger streams and rivers due to longitudinal connectivity resulting in the downstream transference of energy, water, sediments, nutrients, organic matter and organisms. Small streams are, however, highly vulnerable to disturbances, which can compromise the ecosystem services they supply. We see a global need to effectively protect small streams to safeguard biodiversity and human wellbeing.