Soil Resources in Cities: Links with Ecosystem Services and Urban Planning

Urban soils in industrial and historic areas experience swift shifts in allocation and use, from brownfields to green spaces, gardens, and peri-urban agriculture. This study defines urban soils both by their land-based surface and by their material profiles, emphasizing that physical, chemical, and biological soil properties govern functions such as biomass support, filtration, climate regulation, hazard mitigation, and biodiversity provision. It examines how urban activities create Technosols with altered fertility and contamination levels, and argues that traditional agronomic diagnostics must be adapted for urban soil management to optimize ecosystem services and sustainable urban planning.