A process-based framework for soil ecosystem services study and management.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Soil Science
• Ecosystem Services

Background:

• Soil ecosystem services are crucial but complex, with existing frameworks often overlooking underlying ecological mechanisms.
• Understanding these mechanisms is vital for effective soil management and service valuation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel framework for soil ecosystem services that emphasizes underlying soil mechanisms and processes.
• To apply this framework to assess and manage soil services in the Upper-reach Fenhe Watershed.

Main Methods:

• Analyzing soil natural capital based on soil structure and properties.
• Disentangling complex soil processes and their links to ecosystem services.
• Valuing soil services using field data and spatial explicit models.
• Developing soil management strategies informed by service valuation and driving factors.

Main Results:

• The framework was applied to assess sediment retention, water yield, and grain production in the Upper-reach Fenhe Watershed.
• The watershed was clustered into five distinct groups based on ecosystem services and human drivers: municipal, coal mining, traditional farming, urbanizing, and ecological conservation areas.
• Tailored soil management strategies were developed for each cluster.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework effectively links soil properties and processes to ecosystem services, enabling targeted management.
• Differentiated management strategies based on land use and human activities are essential for optimizing soil ecosystem services.