Nexus thinking is crucial for sustainable resource management, but existing frameworks often fail to capture the complexities of urban nature-based solutions, such as urban gardens. Specifically, the prevailing Water-Energy-Food nexus is often unsuitable for low-energy cultivated systems, sidelining the foundational role of soil and overlooking the co-production of ecosystem disservices (EDS) alongside ecosystem services (ES). This perspective paper addresses these gaps by proposing the Food-Water-Soil (FWS) nexus, analyzed through the dual lens of ES and EDS, as a more robust framework for assessing these systems. We argue that ES and EDS are not mere outputs but are the core mediating functions that define the system’s potential and its limits. Central to this framework is the conceptualization of soil as a living infrastructure whose dynamic properties are altered by management, thereby governing the trade-offs and synergies between food production and water dynamics. We conclude by demonstrating that adopting this FWS-ES/EDS perspective has important implications for urban governance and adaptive management. It enables a more complete understanding of system dynamics, fosters more inclusive stakeholder dialogue by making both benefits and nuisances visible, promotes coherent cross-sectoral policy, and supports a culture of long-term ecological stewardship.
Bechet et al. (Fri,) studied this question.