Soils2026 and digital soil mapping – A foundation for the future of soils information in the United States

Abstract

Soils are our most critical natural resource. However, urgent social, economic, and environmental issues such as carbon sequestration, drought mitigation, and nutrient management are forcing us to seek answers to questions using incomplete soil data and/or inappropriate soil information. The United States (US) Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), Soil and Plant Science Division has launched Soils2026, an ambitious initiative to provide a new inventory of soils and provisional ecological sites for all areas of the United States by 2026. Soils2026 aims to provide basic soil and ecological site information that will be useful to land managers, ecologists, modelers, and other natural resource professionals. This effort will rely heavily on digital soil mapping (DSM) to produce the next generation of raster-based soil information products for the interpretation of soil physical, chemical, and biological properties across the United States.The USDA-NRCS Digital Soil Mapping Focus Team was formed to support Soils2026 and includes collaborating members from the National Cooperative Soil Survey representing the NRCS, US Geological Survey, USDA Forest Service, West Virginia University, and New Mexico State University. The DSM Focus Team is applying the latest DSM methods to produce continuous soil property predictions and estimates of uncertainty for all areas of the United States. Initially, the 30-m resolution products will include predictions for 12 key soil properties at six depth intervals, conforming to GlobalSoilMap specifications, with the option to expand properties or add class predictions as user needs demonstrate. Interpretations for use and management will be derived from the continuous properties products and provided to users. Fundamental pedology and communication of soil knowledge will be the primary focus of this effort, yielding a framework for delivery of seamless raster-based soils data for all areas of the United States on yearly cycles. This framework will foster an environment of continuous improvement and support a complete, consistent, correct, comprehensive, and current inventory of the soil resources of the United States.