During the Links4Soils project, we have developed two interactive tools for the selection of relevant soil data and information on sustainable soil management according to the sector and ecosystem services:
1) Soil ecosystem services estimation tool with the report
This estimation tool can be used in the field at a soil profile, to estimate the contribution of soils to eleven selected ecosystem services. In particular, it illustrates how key soil properties, which may alter under changing land uses and management strategies, impact on the individual ecosystem services.
It:
- assists soil experts in bringing the topic of soil-based ecosystem services closer to stakeholders
- illustrates how key soil properties impact on the individual ecosystem services
- useful for knowledge transfer and capacity building
Download here:
- https://www.alpinesoils.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/SES_Estimation_sheet.pdf
- https://www.alpinesoils.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/D.T1.3.2_Report_SES_Estimation_sheet.pdf
2) Soil ecosystem services estimation tool with the report
This tool, implemented in a spread-sheet, offers users to identify essential SES that should be tackled in an individual sector, related sectoral sustainable soil management practices and which soil properties are important to assess which measured soil data to provide/monitor at a location.
The tool largely utilizes soil expert knowledge, however once the soil parameters are set and adapted to local conditions and natural setting, the tool can be used by decision-makers.
The automatized spreadsheet tool:
- Select a soil ecosystem service
- Visualize relevant soil management practices
- Determine which soil data to collect
Download here: