Use Of Soil Data Research Articles

Spatial aspects of applied Soil Science

The analysis of peculiarities of applied use of soil data has been carried out. It is shown that most of practical tasks require spatial information about soils and their properties. In this regard, a soil map is considered as a kind of interface between theoretical and applied soil science. The disadvantages and limitations of modern soil maps, which significantly reduce the possibility of their practical use, have been revealed. The analysis of possible ways of overcoming the revealed limitations has been carried out. It is established that increase of practical importance of soil science at present is impossible both without technological modernization of soil mapping and without semantic, methodological adjustments. The complete transition from traditional soil maps to pixel spatial soil databases is necessary and already possible. Information load and accuracy of soil maps can and should be increased due to transition from mapping of soil position in one or another classification to mapping of individual, agriculturally important soil properties. In order to solve practical agricultural problems it is important to complete the information of soil maps with information about modern processes occurring in soils, which can be obtained from spatial digital modeling.

Soil risk maps – Interpreting soils data for policy makers, agencies and industry

AbstractSurface runoff, erosion, compaction and the leaching of potential pollutants from land can degrade the soil resource and damage the water environment, reducing crop yields, causing loss of valuable nutrients and organic matter, together with increasing flood risk. Increasingly, it is recognized that scientific information must be translated into practical tools to change practices and protect the soil and water resource. Working alongside agencies in Scotland, we applied a suite of simple, transparent, rule‐based models to identify areas most at risk of exporting sediment and pollutants that may degrade water quality based on field‐scale (1:25,000) soil maps. The maps have been used by Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Water and Scottish Government to assess soil risks to waters from field to regional scale. The work brought scientists together with policy makers, agencies and the water industry to pool their knowledge to apply these practical tools for decision‐making. It highlights the need to apply existing knowledge to answer salient questions. All three examples described show that providing the right type of information, which is based on fundamental soils data, can directly influence the implementation of policies, investment and monitoring decisions and provide evidence in support of government. However, this requires both researchers and agency scientists to develop skills as knowledge brokers and to normalize the use of soil data in everyday agency settings.

Are existing soils data meeting the needs of stakeholders in Europe? An analysis of practical use from policy to field

Soils form a major component of the natural system and their functions underpin many key ecosystem goods and services. The fundamental importance of soils in the environment means that many different organisations and stakeholders make extensive use of soils data and information in their everyday working practices. For many reasons, stakeholders are not always aware that they are reliant upon soil data and information to support their activities. Various reviews of stakeholder needs and how soil information could be improved have been carried out in recent years. However, to date, there has been little consideration of user needs from a non-expert perspective. The aim of this study was to explore the use of explicit and hidden soil information in different organisations across Europe and gain a better understanding of improvements needed in soil data and information to assist in practical use by non-expert stakeholders. An on-line questionnaire was used to investigate different uses of soils data and information with 310 responses obtained from 77 organisations across Europe. Results illustrate the widespread use of soil data and information across diverse organisations within Europe, particularly spatial products and soil functional assessments and tools. A wide range of improvements were expressed with a prevalence for finer scale resolution, trends over time, future scenarios, improved accuracy, non-technical supporting information and better capacity to use GIS. An underlying message is that existing legacy soils data need to be supplemented by new up-to-date data to meet stakeholder needs and information gaps.

Use of soil data in a grid-based hydrological model to estimate spatial variation in changing flood risk across the UK

A grid-based flow routing and runoff-production model, configured to employ as input either observed or Regional Climate Model (RCM) estimates of precipitation and potential evaporation (PE), has previously been used to assess how climate change may impact river flows across the UK. The slope-based Grid-to-Grid (G2G) model adequately simulated observed river flows under current climate conditions for high relief catchments, but was less successful when applied to lower-relief and/or groundwater-dominated areas. The model has now been enhanced to employ a soil dataset to configure the probability-distributed store controlling soil-moisture and runoff generation within each grid-cell. A comparison is made of the ability of both models to simulate gauged river flows across a range of British catchments using observations of rainfall and PE as input. Superior performance from the enhanced G2G formulation incorporating the soil dataset is demonstrated. Following the model assessment, the observed precipitation and PE data used as input to both hydrological models were replaced by RCM estimates on a 25 km grid for a Current (1961–1990) and a Future (2071–2100) time-slice. Flood frequency curves derived from the flow simulations for the two time-slices are used to estimate, for the first time, maps of changes in flood magnitude for all river points on a 1 km grid across the UK. A high degree of spatial variability is seen in the estimated change in river flows, reflecting both projected climate change and the influences of landscape and climate variability. These maps also highlight large differences between the climate impact projections arising from the two models. The improved structure and performance of the soil-based G2G model adds confidence to its projections of flow changes being realistic consequences of the climate change scenario applied. A resampling method is used to identify regions where these projections may be considered robust. However, with the climate change scenario used representing only one plausible evolution of the future climate, no clear message can be drawn here about projected river flow changes.

The use of soil data in natural heritage planning and management

The use of soil data in natural heritage planning and management

The use of soil data in natural heritage planning and management

Abstract. Native woodland restoration is a conservation priority within the UK and there is an increasing awareness that a long‐term strategy is required to guide this process. A GIS‐based modelling approach has been developed, which links site conditions as expressed in an integrated soil and land cover dataset with the site requirements for different woodland types. There are three important aspects to the model – the parameter weightings, the added value of the integrated dataset, and the woodland categories which are described and predicted. The initial quantitative and qualitative validation has been encouraging although more is required and planned. The results indicate that for broad strategic planning purposes, predictions of woodland potential are not improved significantly when climatic factors are incorporated. The concept that soil acts as an integrator of other environmental variables is discussed alongside the practical application of the model by a range of users.

Use of Soil Data for the Description of Agrarian Landscapes

The activities for post-processing (unification, harmonization) and integrated use of the "Medium Scaled Agricultural Soil Map" (MMK) of the former GDR implemented by BGR (Federal Institute for Geosciences and National Resources) are presented in an overview. From these works the present investigations are described for determination of the pedological map units heterogeneity of the "Soil Map of the Federal Republic of Germany 1:1,000,000" (BÜK 1000) and their effects on the field capacity. Many differences between BÜK 1000 and MMK, which result from the different nomenclatures and content data structures, require a gradual data preparation. The pedological heterogeneity of a BÜK 1000 unit, analysed as example, is shown by comparison with the corresponding MMK data in view to soil texture and field capacity and can be evaluated. In methodical regard hints result to a necessary critical examination of used tables of classification.

The use of soils data in regional planning

The growing concentration of population in metropolitan centers and the concomitant diffusion of urban development across large areas of the earth's surface is a worldwide phenomenon. This phenomenon is creating areawide developmental and environmental problems of an unprecedented scale and complexity. The problems involved in providing economically feasible facilities for water supply, for sewage disposal, and for storm water drainage; in controlling pollution of streams and lakes, ground water, and air; in providing safe and rapid air and surface transportation; and in maintaining the overall quality of the environment within those large urban regions are, even when considered individually, among the most complex problems facing society. These problems are, moreover, all closely linked to far more basic problems of land and water use and are thereby inextricably interrelated. The formulation of sound solutions to these problems, therefore, requires comprehensive, areawide planning efforts which recognize the existence of a limited natural resource base to which both rural and urban development must be properly adjusted in order to ensure a pleasant and habitable, as well as efficient, environment for life. The soil resources of an area are one of the most important elements of the natural resource base, influencing both rural and urban development. A need exists, therefore, in any comprehensive, areawide planning program to examine not only how land and soils are presently used but how the soils can best be used and managed. This requires an areawide soil suitability study which maps the geographic locations of the various kinds of soils; identifies their physical, chemical, and biological properties; and interprets these properties for land use and public facilities planning purposes. The resulting comprehensive knowledge of the character and suitability of the soils can be one of the most important tools through which an adjustment of areawide urban development to the underlying and sustaining natural resource base can be accomplished. This paper describes the application of such a soil suitability study in an actual regional planning program. It describes how soils information has been and can be used in both graphic and numeric form in areawide and local land use planning, zoning, and land subdivision control; in tax assessment and development financing; and in the location and design of such public works as sanitary sewerage, storm water drainage, and transportation facilities. The importance of definitive soils information to every major step in the planning process from the formulation of goals and objectives and supporting planning standards; through plan synthesis, test, and evaluation; to plan implementation is illustrated; and the importance of the detailed operational soil survey to sound regional planning and to sound development decision-making documented.

Use of Soils Data in Local Land Use Control Ordinances Increases

Soil Survey HorizonsVolume 13, Issue 2 p. 16-19 Article Use of Soils Data in Local Land Use Control Ordinances Increases† First published: Summer 1972 https://doi.org/10.2136/sh1972.2.0016Citations: 1 † Excerpt from Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission Newsletter of July–August 1971. Submitted by A. J. Klingelhoets, State Soil Scientist, SCS, Madison, Wis. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume13, Issue2Summer 1972Pages 16-19 RelatedInformation