Advances in soil ecosystem services: concepts, models, and applications for earth system life support

The ecosystem services approach is gaining wide acceptance at the policy-making level as a framework for integrating science and policy regarding the natural environment. It is important that soil science clearly articulates how knowledge and understanding of the vadose zone soils can be transmitted through this framework into the decision-making process. Competition between food production, living space, and maintaining habitat for all of earth’s life-forms has never been so intense, so the need for soil security and vadose zone protection is paramount. Soil management can no longer be thought of in terms of single function management but instead needs to be considered and managed in the context of the multiple functions it offers. In this 10th anniversary issue of the journal, we assess progress in the development of a coherent soil ecosystem services framework using the natural resource management stock-flow and fund-service resource approach. We go on to examine some of the areas where the application of an ecosystems approach is gaining traction, which include national and local decision making as well as support for legal arguments in court

On the value of soil resources in the context of natural capital and ecosystem service delivery

The ecosystem services approach endeavors to incorporate the economic value of ecosystems into decision making. This is because many natural resources are subject to market failure. As a result, many economic decisions omit the impact that natural resource use has on the earth’s resources and the life support system it provides. Hence, one of the objectives of the ecosystem services approach is to employ economic valuation of natural resources in micro- and macroeconomic policy design, implementation, and evaluation. In this article we examine valuation concepts, and ask why we might attempt to economically value the contribution of soils to the provision of ecosystem services. We go on to examine economic valuation methods and review economic valuation of soils. By surveying prices of soils on the web we are able to make a first, limited global assessment of direct market value of topsoil prices. We then consider other research efforts to value soil. Finally, we consider how the valuation of soil can meaningfully be used in the introduction of improved resource management mechanisms such as decision support tools on which valuation can be based, within the UN’s System of Environmental and Economic Accounts (SEEA) and policy mechanisms like Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)