Table 1
Definitions of key terms.
Key terms Definitions
Ecological infrastructure of soil Soil natural capital, its properties; and soil support functions that underlie other ecosystem services and are in a dynamic relationship
with soil processes and soil natural capital.
Ecosystem services The benefits that people obtain from the ecosphere. Ecosystem goods and services are synonymous with ecosystem services.
Final goods and services Benefits that flow from the Ecological Infrastructure (cultural, regulating and provisioning services)
Natural capital Stocks of natural resources found on earth yielding a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or service into the future.
Soil ecosystem services The flow from the Ecological infrastructure of soil. Soil ecosystem services refers to both ecosystem goods and services from soil.
Soil natural capital Soil stocks on Earth which yield a flow of goods and services. Soil natural capital is characterized by soil properties.
Soil processes Any change or reaction which occurs within soils, either physical, chemical or biological. The complex interactions among the biotic
and abiotic elements of the soil.
Soil properties The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of a soil. They can be inherent or manageable.
Soil support functions A subset of interactions between the natural capital and soil processes that are required for the production of final soil ecosystem
services and goods that satisfy human needs. The support functions are intermediate steps in the stock and flow chain and are
therefore neither consumed directly nor valued economically.