This theme issue provides an assessment of the contribution of soils to Nature's Contributions to People (NCP). The papers in this issue show that soils can contribute positively to the delivery of all NCP. These contributions can be maximized through careful soil management to provide healthy soils, but poorly managed, degraded or polluted soils may contribute negatively to the delivery of NCP. Soils are also shown to contribute positively to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Papers in the theme issue emphasize the need for careful soil management. Priorities for soil management must include: (i) for healthy soils in natural ecosystems, protect them from conversion and degradation, (ii) for managed soils, manage in a way to protect and enhance soil biodiversity, health, productivity and sustainability and to prevent degradation, and (iii) for degraded soils, restore to full soil health. Our knowledge of what constitutes sustainable soil management is mature enough to implement best management practices, in order to maintain and improve soil health. The papers in this issue show the vast potential of soils to contribute to NCP. This is not only desirable, but essential to sustain a healthy planet and if we are to deliver sustainable development in the decades to come.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘The role of soils in delivering Nature’s Contributions to People’.

本专题对土壤对自然对人类的贡献 (NCP) 的贡献进行了评估。本期的论文表明，土壤可以对所有 NCP 的传递做出积极贡献。这些贡献可以通过仔细的土壤管理来最大化，以提供健康的土壤，但管理不善、退化或污染的土壤可能会对 NCP 的传递产生负面影响。土壤也显示出对联合国可持续发展目标的积极贡献。主题问题中的论文强调需要谨慎的土壤管理。土壤管理的优先事项必须包括：(i) 自然生态系统中的健康土壤，保护它们免于转化和退化，(ii) 管理土壤，管理以保护和提高土壤生物多样性、健康、生产力和可持续性并防止退化，以及 (iii) 对于退化的土壤，恢复完全的土壤健康。我们对可持续土壤管理的知识已经足够成熟，可以实施最佳管理实践，以维持和改善土壤健康。本期中的论文显示了土壤对 NCP 的巨大贡献。这不仅是可取的，而且对于维持健康的地球以及我们要在未来几十年实现可持续发展至关重要。

这篇文章是主题“土壤在自然对人类的贡献中的作用”的一部分。