- Soil map
Soil map is a map showing distribution of
soil types and/or soil properties (soil pH , textures,organic matter , depths of horizons etc.) in the area of interest. It is typically the end result of a soil survey inventory, i.e.soil survey . Soil maps are most commonly used for land evaluation,spatial planning , agricultural extension,environmental protection and similar projects. Traditional soil maps typically show only general distribution of soils, accompanied by the soil survey report. Many new soil maps are derived usingdigital soil mapping techniques. Such maps are typically richer in context and show higher spatial detail then the traditional soil maps. Soil maps produced using (geo)statistical techniques also include an estimate of the model uncertainty.and point maps linked with attribute tables for profile observations, soil mapping units and soil classes. Different elements of an SIS can be manipulated and then visualized against the spatial reference (grids or polygons). For example, soil profiles can be used to make spatial prediction of different chemical and physical soil properties.
One should also distinguish soil maps that display primary soil attributes, i.e. the soil attributes originally described or measured in the field, and the soil inferred attributes also called secondary soil information, i.e. the properties of the soils in the context of the soil use: soil production capacity, soil reaction to certain use, soil functions, soil degradation measures etc.
See also
*
Map
*Soil science
*Soil survey
*Digital soil mapping
*Geographic information system (GIS)
*Pedometrics External links
* [http://www.digitalsoilmapping.org International Working Group on Digital Soil Mapping]
* [http://www.IUSS.org International Union of Soil Sciences]
* Soil Maps of the world [http://eusoils.jrc.it/esdb_archive/EuDASM/indexes/access.htm European Digital Archive on the Soil Maps of the world]
* [http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/library/maps/country_maps/list_countries.cfm National Soil Maps] ("listed by Country")
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