Advancing Ecosystem Service Quantification with a Low-Cost Soil Box Technology forAgroecological Systems

Quantifying ecosystem services (ES) is essential for evaluating the sustainability of agricultural systems,
particularly in agroecological contexts where practices such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and crop
diversification aim to enhance soil health, biodiversity, and carbon storage. However, current methods for ES
assessment often rely on expensive, labor-intensive, or destructive sampling approaches, limiting their
accessibility and scalability across both research and practical land management contexts. To address this
gap, we present a novel, low-cost soil box system designed for real-time, multi-parameter monitoring of
ecosystem services in agricultural soils.
The soil box integrates a network of advanced yet cost-effective sensors capable of capturing physical (e.g.
moisture content, temperature), chemical (e.g. N-P-K, SOC, TOC), and biological indicators (e.g. microbial
activity) in real time. Technologies such as microbial biosensors, CO₂ flux sensors, NIR spectroscopy, and
ATP detectors enable continuous, non-destructive measurements across multiple soil layers. Its modular
design allows for scalable deployment across experimental plots, long-term monitoring trials, and on-farm
applications, making it highly versatile for both scientific research and practical land management for
farmers.
The ability to capture a diverse range of ES indicators in situ also reduces the need for costly external
laboratory analyses, minimizing logistical barriers often associated with large-scale monitoring efforts.
Therefore, the soil box system has the potential to revolutionize how ecosystem services are measured and
understood in agricultural systems. Its real-time, high-resolution data can inform both sustainable
agricultural practices and scientific research, providing robust evidence of agroecological benefits for soil
health, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation. This aligns directly with the objectives of the
European Green Deal and CAP reforms, offering a scalable, evidence-based tool for assessing the impact of
agricultural practices on ecosystem health, climate resilience, and long-term productivity.
Keywords: agroecology, ecosystem services, soil monitoring, low-cost technology, carbon storage, real-time data,
sustainable agriculture, participatory research.