Knowledge base on the ecosystem services concept, on technologies and data support systems for soil ecosystem services and on soil health business models

This report is part of the SoilValues project (Task 1.1) and focuses on establishing a multidisciplinary knowledge base and mapping scientific knowledge on the ecosystems services (ESS) concept, as well as on technologies and data support systems for monitoring, reporting and verifying soil- and agricultural management-related ESS and soil health. Apart from delivering marketable products, agricultural practices also have the potential to contribute to other soil ESS. However, land managers generally have little incentive to invest in healthy soils, as they cannot sufficiently capture the value generated by these ecosystem services. The SoilValues project aims to improve the conditions for developing successful soil health business models. These are models in which land managers make production decisions that result in higher levels of soil-related ESS and in which they are paid for the non-marketed services they generate. In order to design and implement an incentive scheme or business model for the different soiland agricultural management-related ESS provided by a farm/agricultural parcel there are several steps including the identification of the ESS that are potentially provided by the implemented practices and that actors are willing to pay for, the establishment of a scheme and its rules and guiding principles andthe monitoring, reporting and verification (of the ESS). This report starts in Chapter 2 Mapping scientific knowledge on (soil) ecosystems services with a state-of-the art of scientific knowledge on what are soil ecosystem services, how soil health is defined and how these ESS and soil health indicators could be monitored. In Chapter 3 Business Models and soil health programs, existing business models for soil health and soil ecosystem services are inventoried, including how they monitor. Cost-efficient monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) is crucial for business models that can be easily upscaled, therefore, Chapter 4
Technologies for Measurement and Management provides an inventory of current monitoring technologies, sensor and data support systems that could be included in the MRV process. This report aims to provide a catalogue of options for the SoilValues communities of practices and testing grounds to make informed decisions. Additionally, the report serves to inform subsequent tasks and work packages by feeding them with valuable insights and information on the topic of mapping, monitoring, and valuating ESS.