The role of farmers' property rights in soil ecosystem services conservation

This paper analyzes the role of property rights in soil conservation. The conventional wisdom in soil conservation and property rights argues that tenants invest less than landlords in sustainable management practices and tend to overexploit soil biota services. The paper examines how this issue is linked to bioeconomic considerations. In an optimal control approach to the modeling of soil ecosystem services exploitation, the paper shows how economic, biological and ecological variables drive the rewards of investment in soil conservation through agricultural practices. ► The paper examines the role of property rights on farmer's practices and soil conservation. ► The paper models the exploitation of soil biota ecosystem services and dis-services. ► The optimal control model includes a production function approach to soil ecosystem services.