IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jgeogr/v5y2025i3p39-d1715195.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Leveraging Soil Geography for Land Use Planning: Assessing and Mapping Soil Ecosystem Services Indicators in Emilia-Romagna, NE Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Fabrizio Ungaro

    (Institute of BioEconomy CNR IBE, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • Paola Tarocco

    (Geology, Soil and Seismic Risk Area, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Viale A. Moro 52, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Costanza Calzolari

    (Institute of BioEconomy CNR IBE, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

Abstract

An indicator-based approach was implemented to assess the contributions of soils in supplying ecosystem services, providing a scalable tool for modeling the spatial heterogeneity of soil functions at regional and local scales. The method consisted of (i) the definition of soil-based ecosystem services (SESs), using available point data and thematic maps; (ii) the definition of appropriate SES indicators; (iii) the assessment and mapping of potential SESs provision for the Emilia-Romagna region (22.510 km 2 ) in NE Italy. Depending on data availability and on the role played by terrain features and soil geography and its complexity, maps of basic soil characteristics (textural fractions, organic C content, and pH) covering the entire regional territory were produced at a 1 ha resolution using digital soil mapping techniques and geostatistical simulations to explicitly consider spatial variability. Soil physical properties such as bulk density, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity at saturation were derived using pedotransfer functions calibrated using local data and integrated with supplementary information such as land capability and remote sensing indices to derive the inputs for SES assessment. Eight SESs were mapped at 1:50,000 reference scale: buffering capacity, carbon sequestration, erosion control, food provision, biomass provision, water regulation, water storage, and habitat for soil biodiversity. The results are discussed and compared for the different pedolandscapes, identifying clear spatial patterns of soil functions and potential SES supply.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabrizio Ungaro & Paola Tarocco & Costanza Calzolari, 2025. "Leveraging Soil Geography for Land Use Planning: Assessing and Mapping Soil Ecosystem Services Indicators in Emilia-Romagna, NE Italy," Geographies, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-32, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgeogr:v:5:y:2025:i:3:p:39-:d:1715195
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7086/5/3/39/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7086/5/3/39/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hamel, Perrine & Bryant, Benjamin P., 2017. "Uncertainty assessment in ecosystem services analyses: Seven challenges and practical responses," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 1-15.
    2. Dominati, Estelle & Patterson, Murray & Mackay, Alec, 2010. "A framework for classifying and quantifying the natural capital and ecosystem services of soils," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 1858-1868, July.
    3. Chen, Nengwang & Li, Huancheng & Wang, Lihong, 2009. "A GIS-based approach for mapping direct use value of ecosystem services at a county scale: Management implications," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(11), pages 2768-2776, September.
    4. Benjamin S. Halpern & Catherine Longo & Darren Hardy & Karen L. McLeod & Jameal F. Samhouri & Steven K. Katona & Kristin Kleisner & Sarah E. Lester & Jennifer O’Leary & Marla Ranelletti & Andrew A. Ro, 2012. "An index to assess the health and benefits of the global ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7413), pages 615-620, August.
    5. García-Nieto, Ana P. & Quintas-Soriano, Cristina & García-Llorente, Marina & Palomo, Ignacio & Montes, Carlos & Martín-López, Berta, 2015. "Collaborative mapping of ecosystem services: The role of stakeholders׳ profiles," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 141-152.
    6. Logsdon, Rebecca A. & Chaubey, Indrajeet, 2013. "A quantitative approach to evaluating ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 257(C), pages 57-65.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Da & Huang, Qingxu & He, Chunyang & Wu, Jianguo, 2017. "Impacts of urban expansion on ecosystem services in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, China: A scenario analysis based on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 115-130.
    2. Schmidt, Katja & Martín-López, Berta & Phillips, Peter M. & Julius, Eike & Makan, Neville & Walz, Ariane, 2019. "Key landscape features in the provision of ecosystem services: Insights for management," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 353-366.
    3. Andrea Koch & Alex McBratney & Mark Adams & Damien Field & Robert Hill & John Crawford & Budiman Minasny & Rattan Lal & Lynette Abbott & Anthony O'Donnell & Denis Angers & Jeffrey Baldock & Edward Bar, 2013. "Soil Security: Solving the Global Soil Crisis," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 4(4), pages 434-441, November.
    4. Drakou, E.G. & Crossman, N.D. & Willemen, L. & Burkhard, B. & Palomo, I. & Maes, J. & Peedell, S., 2015. "A visualization and data-sharing tool for ecosystem service maps: Lessons learnt, challenges and the way forward," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 134-140.
    5. Pietrzyk-Kaszyńska, Agata & Olszańska, Agnieszka & Rechciński, Marcin & Tusznio, Joanna & Grodzińska-Jurczak, Małgorzata, 2022. "Divergent or convergent? Prioritization and spatial representation of ecosystem services as perceived by conservation professionals and local leaders," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. Zdena Krnáčová & Mária Barančoková & Martin Labuda, 2025. "Quantification of Soil Water Retention Capacity in the Protected Water Management Area Žitný Ostrov (Slovakia)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Schon, N.L. & Dominati, E.J., 2020. "Valuing earthworm contribution to ecosystem services delivery," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    8. Logsdon, Rebecca A. & Chaubey, Indrajeet, 2013. "A quantitative approach to evaluating ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 257(C), pages 57-65.
    9. Jónsson, Jón Örvar G. & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Nikolaidis, Nikolaos P. & Giannakis, Georgios V., 2019. "Tools for Sustainable Soil Management: Soil Ecosystem Services, EROI and Economic Analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 109-119.
    10. Livia Marchetti & Valentina Cattivelli & Claudia Cocozza & Fabio Salbitano & Marco Marchetti, 2020. "Beyond Sustainability in Food Systems: Perspectives from Agroecology and Social Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    11. Emmerling, Johannes & Kornek, Ulrike & Zuber, Stéphane, 2024. "Multidimensional welfare indices and the IPCC 6th Assessment Report scenarios," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    12. Stephen C. L. Watson & Adrian C. Newton, 2018. "Dependency of Businesses on Flows of Ecosystem Services: A Case Study from the County of Dorset, UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-14, April.
    13. Ding, Helen & Nunes, Paulo A.L.D., 2014. "Modeling the links between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human wellbeing in the context of climate change: Results from an econometric analysis of the European forest ecosystems," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 60-73.
    14. Donovan, Mitchell & Pletnyakov, Peter & Van der Weerden, Tony & de Klein, Cecile, 2024. "Quantifying spatial distributions and temporal trends of livestock populations across pastoral agroecosystems at high resolution," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    15. Laura M. Norman & Miguel L. Villarreal & Rewati Niraula & Mark Haberstich & Natalie R. Wilson, 2019. "Modelling Development of Riparian Ranchlands Using Ecosystem Services at the Aravaipa Watershed, SE Arizona," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-21, April.
    16. Samaneh Sadat Nickayin & Francesca Perrone & Barbara Ermini & Giovanni Quaranta & Rosanna Salvia & Filippo Gambella & Gianluca Egidi, 2021. "Soil Quality and Peri-Urban Expansion of Cities: A Mediterranean Experience (Athens, Greece)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, February.
    17. Agudelo, César Augusto Ruiz & Bustos, Sandra Liliana Hurtado & Moreno, Carmen Alicia Parrado, 2020. "Modeling interactions among multiple ecosystem services. A critical review," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 429(C).
    18. Ainscough, Jacob & Wilson, Meriwether & Kenter, Jasper O., 2018. "Ecosystem services as a post-normal field of science," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(PA), pages 93-101.
    19. Li, Shicheng & Zhang, Heng & Zhou, Xuewu & Yu, Haibin & Li, Wangjun, 2020. "Enhancing protected areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    20. Hiroaki Sugino & Tatsuya Sekiguchi & Yuuki Terada & Naoki Hayashi, 2023. "“Future Compass”, a Tool That Allows Us to See the Right Horizon—Integration of Topic Modeling and Multiple-Factor Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jgeogr:v:5:y:2025:i:3:p:39-:d:1715195. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.