###### Abstract  
Ecosystem valuation (EV) of soil resources is essential for understanding changes in environmental services in monetary terms. A lack of this information, which includes economic indices, hinders the optimal management of natural resources. This study evaluated the influence of changes in the edaphic ecosystem on the EV of the zone of influence of the Ozogoche and Atillo lake systems in Ecuador. The classification was carried out through spectral indices and support vector machines (SVMs), and the EV was determined through opportunity costs including environmental service provisioning and indirect use. The land use and EV classification methods were performed efficiently; the degradation trend was constant. The Modified Water Difference Index was the most efficient in the extraction of water bodies, with an accuracy of 91%. The SVMs algorithm, in recognizing coverage in general, had an overall accuracy of 85%. The adjustment made to the SVMs algorithm to improve the selection of hyperparameters was effective; a robust architecture of the algorithm in terms of automation was achieved. Between 2000 and 2020, moordant, water and wetland degraded by 19%, 2% and 3.4%, respectively. In 2000, the EV as a function of avoided CO2 content was USD 8.00 \(\times\) 10\({}^{6}\); in 2010 and 2020, it was USD 6.00 \(\times\) 10\({}^{6}\) and USD 5.00 \(\times\) 10\({}^{6}\), respectively. ecosystem valuation; remote sensing; opportunity costs; sustainability; land-use; Ozogoche and Atillo Lagoon +
Footnote †: journal: Applied
with temperature variability; consequently, areas with higher humidity tend to have less thermal fluctuation. In the first 30 cm of soil depth, water occupies 61% of its volume. It is estimated that soil weight can double due to the effect of water retention [1]. The importance of environmental services (ESs) for Andean ecosystems lies mainly in water regulation, carbon storage and species habitat [6]. Andean areas are considered essential systems for maintaining the balance of microclimates and reducing greenhouse gas emissions [7]. The Andean systems as geographical units have been affected by environmental factors and human activities; the increase in temperature and agricultural and livestock activities have caused land-cover degradation [8]. On the other hand, the increase in population has increased the demand for food, causing the expansion of the agricultural sector and, consequently, the levels of water consumption for the population and production [9]. ES degradation due to land-use changes has manifested in several of South America's territories. For example, the high Andean plateau of Bombon in Peru is facing an increasing loss of soils due to accelerated anthropogenic land use and climate change. The scarcity of information on the historical development of degradation complicates the development of protection plans for vulnerable areas [10]. In the Calchaquies summits in Argentina, ESs have been affected by climatic conditions, vegetation variations and water balance [11]. In the mountainous areas of Colombia, in recent years, ESs have been intensively degraded due to soil degradation, affecting water regulation. A previous study stated that this is a consequence of climate change processes, mining, agriculture and livestock [12]. There are direct and indirect effects on Andean soil uses related to cattle ranching activities. The direct effects are associated with the degradation of the flora of the area, and the indirect effects are generated by the compaction of the soil layer due to the weight of the cattle; the presence of heavy animals in the natural ecosystem causes problems in the porosity of the cover, which hinders the hydraulic circulation through the system. Regarding agriculture, the impact on Andean soils is usually linked to the release of nutrients immobilized in the soil cover. After the first harvest, the soil decreases its nutrient concentration and its structure becomes compact and dry, which causes runoff to flow, dragging with them soil particles [2].