Optimizing soil conservation through comprehensive benefit assessment in river basins.

ABSTRACT: Land degradation from water erosion poses a significant threat to water security and ecosystem stability, driving global efforts in soil conservation. Quantitative assessment of soil conservation benefits-both on-site and off-site-is crucial for guiding effective conservation strategies. However, existing methodologies often fall short in quantifying the value of these combined benefits. Here, we present a comprehensive framework for quantifying soil conservation service flows in monetary terms, evaluating the effectiveness of both on-site and off-site measures. Applying this framework to the Yellow River Basin (YRB), we employ cost-avoidance algorithms related to soil fertility maintenance, dredging cost reduction, and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution. Our results reveal that while

SUBMITTER: Sun S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11513632 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature