Opsol

Integrating soil ecosystem services in an economic land-use model
We elaborate how soil ecosystem services contribute to our economy, our personal well-fare and our agriculture and integrate these insights in a spatially explicit manner into an economic land-use allocation model. The modelling system will be tested in two different case study areas in Cantons Zurich and Berne and will experience enhancement with policy scenarios, which will be based on analysis of influential policy coalitions and actors in the respective case study areas. Model results will then show how provisioning levels of soil ecosystem services develop under status quo assumptions as well as how changed policy guidelines translate into exploitation or preservation of soil ecosystem services.

Combining land-use modelling, 3D visualization and policy analysis into a comprehensive decision support tool
For the final decision support tool we will combine the previously developed modelling system with an interactive 3D visualization. This allows stakeholders to instantly recognize how and why provisioning levels of soil ecosystem services and thus landscape change while also bringing to the forefront the extra costs or benefits associated with a given change. The tool therefore has the potential to act as a catalyst for development and implementation of new policy guidelines and thus to greatly increase efficiency of current spatial planning.