Ecosystem service classification systems offer structures to categorize and organize ecosystem services into a coherent scheme. Several systems are available: from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board (Reid 2005) ¹⁾, the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES) (Haines-Young & Potschin 2013) ²⁾, the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) (van der Ploeg et al. 2010) ³⁾ as well as further national classification systems (Staub et al. 2011) ⁴⁾.

The AlpES project uses the CICES classification system as a basis for Alpine relevant ES. The selection of the eight considered ecosystem services was based on the then current CICES version 4.3. The system has advanced to version 5.1 by now, with interlinkages to the other before mentioned classification systems and structural changes (see abiotic services).