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Table
1
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Links between human needs, soil ecosystem services and soil functions
(modified from Dominati et al, 2010)
Human needs
Soil ecosystem services
Soil functions
Supporting
Primary production and nutrient
cycling
Biomass production, including in
agriculture and forestry
Water cycling
Soil biological activity
Biodiversity pool, such as habitats,
species and genes;
Provisioning
Food and energy
security
Provision of food, water, timber and
fibre
Biomass production, including in
agriculture and forestry
Housing and
infrastructure
Provision of raw material
Source of raw materials
Provision of physical support
Physical and cultural environment for
humans and human activities
Regulating
Safety and security
Health and well-
being
Flood mitigation
Storing, filtering and transforming
nutrients, substances and water
Water quality
Filtering of nutrients
Biological control of pests and disease
Recycling of wastes and detoxification
Climate regulation
Acting as carbon pool
Cultural
Well-being
Spirituality, knowledge, sense of
place, aesthetic
Archive of geological and archeological
heritage.