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Soil and sediment retention services

Soil erosion control services are the ecosystem contributions, particularly the stabilising effects of vegetation, that reduce the loss of soil (and sediment) and support use of the environment (e.g., agricultural activity, water supply). This may be recorded as a final or intermediate service. Landslide mitigation services are the ecosystem contributions, particularly the stabilising effects of vegetation, that mitigates or prevents potential damage to human health and safety and damaging effects to buildings and infrastructure that arise from the mass movement (wasting) of soil, rock and snow. This is a final ecosystem service.

Benefits:

Reduction of damages, avoided costs, and avoided sediment pollution.

Ecosystem service:

Natural capital:

Structural and biotic integrity
Land geomorphology
Ocean geomorphology
Soils and sediments

Likely response	Effect of variability on services provision	Human action or natural variation	Timescale	Spatial Characteristics
			Short - Long term	Local - areas where terrestrial ecosystems are being used will be most impacted.
			Short - Long term	Local - areas where invasive species occur can act as fire agents that affecting the local area

Likely response	Effect of variability on services provision	Human action or natural variation	Timescale	Spatial Characteristics
			Mid - Long term	Local - impacts can negatively affect migratory species
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - impacts can be local but also further downstream.

Likely response	Effect of variability on services provision	Human action or natural variation	Timescale	Spatial Characteristics
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - impacts could be in the area of use or further up or downstream
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - impacts can favour certain species that can inhabit urban infrastructure
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - impacts can vary depending on the extent of the mining area
			Short - Long term	Local - impacts can negatively affect local habitat structure
			Long term	Local to global - climate is changing on a global level but some local-scale habitats are more resilient or more susceptible to change than others
			Mid - Long term	Regional - impacts affect large regions
			Short - Mid term	Local - areas no longer fit for purpose can be permanently impacted
			Short - Long term	Local - areas where invasive species occur can be impacted
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - impacts can affect species population and habitats
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - impacts have altered local- to regional-level ecosystem properties thrus affecting various functions
			Mid - Long term	Local to regional - areas with water abstraction, as well as areas in downstream regions, could be impacted

Likely response	Effect of variability on services provision	Human action or natural variation	Timescale	Spatial Characteristics
			Mid - Long term	Local to regional - impact can be in the local area but also further afield
			Short - Long term	Local - areas where pollutant inputs are observed can be impacted
			Mid - Long term	Local - areas where pollutant inputs occur can be impacted

Likely response	Effect of variability on services provision	Human action or natural variation	Timescale	Spatial Characteristics
			Mid - Long term	Local to regional - impact can be in the local area but also other regions
			Short - Long term	Local to regional - areas with favourable soil conditions for other uses could be impacted

Soil and sediment retention services

Benefits:

Ecosystem service:

Natural capital:

Ecosystem components and types:

Mechanisms of change in state:

Change in species composition

Change in species population size

Droughts

Fires

Flooding

Land /freshwater/ seabed area modification

Landslides

Ocean acidification

Pollutants concentration change

Storms

Volcanoes

Mechanisms of change in state:

Earthquakes

Flooding

Land /freshwater/ seabed area modification

Landslides

Volcanoes

Mechanisms of change in state:

Land /freshwater/ seabed area modification

Mechanisms of change in state:

Change in species composition

Change in species population size

Land /freshwater/ seabed area modification

Pollutants concentration change

Volcanoes