Which type of ecosystem service includes pollination of crops?

The correct answer is that pollination of crops falls under the category of regulating services. Regulating services are ecosystem services that help regulate natural processes, thus supporting the environment's overall health and functionality. Pollination is a critical ecosystem process that enhances crop production and biodiversity by transferring pollen from one flower to another, which is essential for the reproduction of many plants, including those that produce fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

In this context, pollination directly affects agricultural yields and food production, making it a fundamental regulating service that supports human livelihoods.

The other types of services mentioned have different focuses. Provisioning services involve the direct products obtained from ecosystems, like food, water, and raw materials. Cultural services relate to the non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems, such as recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual enrichment. Supporting services are underlying processes like nutrient cycling and soil formation that are necessary for the production of all ecosystem services, but they do not directly include processes like pollination that have an immediate impact on agricultural productivity.