The mapping and modelling of soil patterns by applying spatial data integration techniques on various raster layers

Abstract

Conventional semi-detailed and detailed soil surveys, as a means of supplying baseline and planning information, are time consuming and expensive and often coarse scale information must be relied on in the absence of more detailed spatial information. However, often more detailed terrain and geological and other information than detailed formal soil maps exist for large areas in SA and large parts of the world. The soil modelling process followed with this study relied on a combination of relationships derived from statistical analysis of soil observation sites and various spatial data layers (e.g. geology, terrain units, elevation, slope, and soil colour) and expert knowledge of soil and landscape relationships. These two aspects were used to optimize the spatial modelling and data integration processes.