THE RELATION BETWEEN COST AND UTILITY IN SOIL SURVEY

This paper discusses how to compare the utility of soil maps. For three contrasting areas, in Southern England, it compares the utilities of a number of single-property and general purpose (series) soil maps, produced by free and grid survey, at map scales from 1 :20,000–1:70,000. The‘purity’of series mapping units increases with survey effort. Where the soil boundaries had fairly clear external expression free survey was superior to grid survey. On average the purity of maps by grid survey was higher than for maps by free survey at comparable survey effort. The uniformity of soil properties within mapping units was measured by relative variance (RV)= within-unit variance/total variance, (1–RV) indicates the increased precision achieved by the soil map. It increased with survey effort. For series maps by free or grid survey (1–RV) depended on how closely soil properties were associated with profile classes, and on the extent to which soil boundaries could be mapped on their external expression. Free survey was preferred at scales between 1: 100,000 and 1:30,000, when the soil boundaries could be mapped on their external expression, (1–RV) for the profile classes on which the mapping units are defined puts a ceiling to the utility of series maps (grid or free) which is already nearly achieved at map scales near 1:25,000. Except for properties very poorly associated with profile classes, single property maps do not have great advantage over series maps at medium map scales, but they attain higher values of (1–RV) at scales greater than 1: 25,000.     

How good is a reconnaissance soil map for agronomic purposes?

Abstract. Information about the soil fertility status in irrigated ricelands at regional scales (1:50 000–1:250 000) is commonly not contained in classical soil maps. To assess the agronomic suitability of two different reconnaissance soil maps, we conducted a detailed soil survey in the Nueva Ecija province, Philippines. Soil samples were collected from 384 farmers' fields, and soil properties were measured for topsoil and subsoil samples. For most soil properties, a soil map made in 1940 (1:125 000) had within-map unit variances that were smaller than the total variance, whereas a new soil map of 1992 (1:50 000) did not significantly reduce the within-class variance. In both soil maps, classification into mapping units accounted for 0–40% of the variance of 14 agronomically important soil properties and large within-map unit variabilities were found. Underlying strategies of classical soil survey supported the partition of variance for relatively stable soil properties, such as soil texture, CEC, and organic matter. If reconnaissance soil maps are used in quantitative land evaluation studies, existing maps require upgrading by adding quantitative information about relevant soil properties and their within-map unit variability The sampling demand for upgrading a reconnaissance soil map was large, but pedotransfer functions can be used as cost-saving tools. Measures of soil nutrient status were highly variable within all mapping units and differences among farmers were much greater than the differences between soil types. Therefore, nutrient management in the study region should be based on individual field or farm recommendations rather than on soil-map based recommendations.     

Studies on Nutrient Distribution in Some Zambian Soils with Special Reference to Sulphur Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) II. Evaluation of Plant-Available Sulphur and Its Distribution in Major Zambian Soils

Relationship between the contents of soil sulphur and plant sulphur was studied in order to evaluate the distribution of plant-available sulphur in Zambian soils. Four soils series with distinct differences in texture and organic carbon content had been selected among representative benchmark soil series and used to cultivate maize (Zea mays L.) as a test plant in pots. From the results of the pot experiment, critical levels of sulphur deficiency in plants and soils were evaluated and the levels of available sulphur for maize nutrition were rated into four classes using data on the relative yield of maize. The optimum method to determine the available sulphur content of the soils was applied to the analysis of other benchmark soils. Satisfactory regression models for assessing the relation between the content of available soil sulphur with other soil constituents among benchmark soil could not be identified. A distribution map for available sulphur was drawn in a step-by-step format by using a different scale of the soil map, soil units and the legends of soil map databases. As a result, it was confirmed that sulphur-deficient and marginal areas were widely distributed throughout the country. Finally, soil acidity problems associated with sulphur application, the inconsistency of the content of available sulphur with that of total sulphur and limitation of the map utility were examined.     

Studies on Nutrient Distribution in Some Zambian Soils with Special Reference to Sulphur Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) II. Evaluation of Plant-Available Sulphur and Its Distribution in Major Zambian Soils

Relationship between the contents of soil sulphur and plant sulphur was studied in order to evaluate the distribution of plant-available sulphur in Zambian soils. Four soils series with distinct differences in texture and organic carbon content had been selected among representative benchmark soil series and used to cultivate maize ( Zea mays L.) as a test plant in pots. From the results of the pot experiment, critical levels of sulphur deficiency in plants and soils were evaluated and the levels of available sulphur for maize nutrition were rated into four classes using data on the relative yield of maize. The optimum method to determine the available sulphur content of the soils was applied to the analysis of other benchmark soils. Satisfactory regression models for assessing the relation between the content of available soil sulphur with other soil constituents among benchmark soil could not be identified. A distribution map for available sulphur was drawn in a step-by-step format by using a different scale of the soil map, soil units and the legends of soil map databases. As a result, it was confirmed that sulphur-deficient and marginal areas were widely distributed throughout the country. Finally, soil acidity problems associated with sulphur application, the inconsistency of the content of available sulphur with that of total sulphur and limitation of the map utility were examined.     

VARIABILITY IN THREE AREAS OF THE DENCHWORTH SOIL MAP UNIT

Variability of soil within three areas of the Denchworth map unit in southern England Has been investigated by describing and analysing samples from thirty profiles located at the intersects of a randomly oriented grid. The Denchworth series has been mapped over several stratigraphically different clays, and the areas chosen provide three groups of profiles developed over Gault (Cretaceous), Kimmeridge, and Oxford (Jurassic) Clay respectively. Purity of the map unit, estimated as the percentage of profiles whose data agree with the definition of the Denchworth series, was 60 per cent, which is comparable with values for other map units both near by and elsewhere. The variability of individual properties as indicated by coefficients of variation differed widely. Generally, physical properties were more uniform than chemical properties. The Denchworth map unit can consequently be treated uniformly for aspects of land management related to soil physical properties but it provides little guidance for fertilizer application. A small amount of variability can be attributed to mapping together those soils developed in material derived from stratigraphically different clays, but is insufficient to justify separating them.     

Monitoring forest soil properties with electrical resistivity

Maintenance and monitoring of soil fertility is a key issue for sustainable forest management. Vital ecosystem processes may be affected by management practices which change the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. This study is the first in Europe to use electrical resistivity (ER) as a non-invasive method to rapidly determine forest soil properties in the field in a monitoring purpose. We explored the correlations between ER and forest soil properties on two permanent plots of the French long-term forest ecosystem-monitoring network (International Cooperative Program Forests, Level II). We used ER measurements to determine soil-sampling locations and define sampling design. Soil cores were taken in the A horizon and analysed for pH, bulk density, residual humidity, texture, organic matter content and nutrients. Our results showed high variability within the studied plots, both in ER and analysed soil properties. We found significant correlations between ER and soil properties, notably cation exchange capacity, soil humidity and texture, even though the magnitude of the correlations was modest. Despite these levels of correlations, we were able to assess variations in soil properties without having to chemically analyse numerous samples. The sampling design based on an ER survey allowed us to map basic soil properties with a small number of samples.     

Variability in topsoil texture and carbon content within soil map units and its implications in predicting soil water content for optimum workability

The ability to predict the timing of optimum soil workability depends on knowledge of the extent and structure of variability in main physical characteristics of the soil. Our objectives were to quantify the variability in texture and carbon content within soil map units in a small agriculture-dominated catchment in South-east Norway and to assess implications of variability in texture and carbon content on land management operations, using the predicted maximum water content for optimum workability as an example. Information from three different sources were used: a soil map (1:5000), a large sample grid (100 m spacing, 270 ha extent), and a small sample grid (10 m spacing, 2.25 ha extent). Readily available information on texture and organic matter content from the soil map was found to be of limited use for soil management due to broad textural classes together with deviations from the mapped main textural classes. There were significant differences in clay, silt and sand content between the different soil textural classes on the soil map. Statistical distributions within soil map units were generally either positively or negatively skewed and the coefficient of variation was intermediate, 15–50%. Most of the variation in both grids was spatially correlated. The large grid was dominated by a patchy structure, whilst the small grid showed a systematic trend with a gradual transition indicating fuzzy boundaries between map units in this catchment. The effective range for texture was 16 times larger in the large grid. Implications of variability in texture and carbon content on land management operations were assessed for the maximum water content for optimum workability (Wopt), predicted using pedotransfer functions. Wopt was usually in the same range as the water content at–100 kPa matric potential, indicating that considerable evaporation in addition to drainage is required for obtaining workable conditions in the field. The time required for obtaining the water content was estimated to about 5 days, which is longer than an average length of periods without precipitation in the area, median 3.7 days. Wopt predicted from the soil map deviated strongly from Wopt predicted from the sample grids. Comparing estimates of Wopt from the large grid with measurements in the small grid showed differences corresponding to ±2–3 days of evaporation.     

Integrating properties of soil map delineations into ordinary kriging

Stratification of a region based on soil map delineations followed by within-stratum interpolation is sometimes used to combine soil maps and spatial interpolation. However, not all delineations are equally suitable to subdivide an area into precisely located mutually exclusive strata. This paper proposes a flow-path to characterize the nature of soil map delineations and a methodology to integrate the properties of map delineations into ordinary kriging.Four types of delineations were distinguished based on three criteria: the nature of transition (discontinuous or gradual), the mapping accuracy, and the structure of the within-unit spatial variation. For each type of delineation the ordinary kriging algorithm was modified to integrate its properties in the interpolation.As a test case, the sand content of the topsoil in the province of West-Flanders (Belgium) was mapped, using independent test data for validation. Inside the mapping units and at delineations identified as gradual transitions, our procedure, termed ordinary kriging integrating properties of map delineations (OKPD) , performed similarly to stratified ordinary kriging (SOK). However, close to the delineations identified as inaccurately mapped discontinuities the mean square prediction error of OKPD was 0.64 times that of SOK. Moreover, near these delineations, the prediction variance was largely underestimated by SOK (relative variance = 5.1), whereas OKPD produced a more realistic value (relative variance = 1.5).     

OPTIMAL INTERPOLATION AND ISARITHMIC MAPPING OF SOIL PROPERTIES III CHANGING DRIFT AND UNIVERSAL KRIGING

Universal kriging is a form of interpolation that takes account of local trends in data when minimizing the error associated with estimation. The presence of such trends, or drifts as they are known, is identified qualitatively, and their form found quantitatively by structural analysis, which simultaneously estimates semi-variances of the differences between the drift and actual data. The resulting semi-variograms are then used for the interpolation. The method was applied to measurements of electrical resistivity made in the soil at 1 m intervals at Bekesbourne, Kent. Analysis showed that the data could be adequately represented as a series of linear drifts over distances of 4 m to 8 m and with negligible nugget variance. Semi-variances of residuals from the drift were computed, and used to krige missing values and so complete an isarithmic map of the site. The method is by no means universally applicable in soil survey, mainly because of the large nugget variances usually encountered. These effectively prevent any distinction between constant and changing drift. They arise in part because measurements are made on small widely separated volumes of soil. Universal kriging is likely to be profitable only where measurements are made on contiguous volumes of soil or after substantial bulking.     

Studies on Nutrient Distribution in Some Zambian Soils with Special Reference to Sulphur Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) I. Total Sulphur Distribution in Major Zambian Soils

Total sulphur content of some benchmark soils was evaluated by correlating with the contents of soil organic C and amorphous oxides (Al and Fe), and the particle size distribution. An equation model to calculate the content of total soil sulphur was first obtained by regression analysis. Introducing these chemical and physical data of all the map units except for the wetlands into the equation model, the sulphur level on a national scale was estimated for each soil mapping unit in the exploratory soil map of Zambia. Second, the total sulphur content was rated into 3 classes based on the frequency distribution of the total sulphur content in the benchmark soils. Finally, the rated total sulphur content was incorporated into the national soil map database of GIS to produce a map with the total sulphur content of Zambian soils. The extent of each class was calculated and the distribution of the areas was examined in relation to rainfall and soil formation.     

Studies on Nutrient Distribution in Some Zambian Soils with Special Reference to Sulphur Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) I. Total Sulphur Distribution in Major Zambian Soils

Total sulphur content of some benchmark soils was evaluated by correlating with the contents of soil organic C and amorphous oxides (Al and Fe), and the particle size distribution. An equation model to calculate the content of total soil sulphur was first obtained by regression analysis. Introducing these chemical and physical data of all the map units except for the wetlands into the equation model, the sulphur level on a national scale was estimated for each soil mapping unit in the exploratory soil map of Zambia. Second, the total sulphur content was rated into 3 classes based on the frequency distribution of the total sulphur content in the benchmark soils. Finally, the rated total sulphur content was incorporated into the national soil map database of GIS to produce a map with the total sulphur content of Zambian soils. The extent of each class was calculated and the distribution of the areas was examined in relation to rainfall and soil formation.     

Spatial variability of Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain soil physical properties: Implications for site-specific management

Our objectives were to describe the field-scale horizontal and vertical spatial variability of soil physical properties and their relations to soil map units in typical southeastern USA coastal plain soils, and to identify the soil properties, or clusters of properties, that defined most of the variability within the field. The study was conducted on a 12-ha field in Kinston, NC. A 1:2400 scale soil survey had delineated three soil map units in the field: Norfolk loamy sand, Goldsboro loamy sand, and Lynchburg sandy loam. These are representative of millions of hectares of farmland in the Coastal Plain of the southeastern USA. Sixty soil cores were taken to ∼ 1-m depth, sectioned into five depth increments, and analyzed for: soil texture as percentage sand, silt, and clay; soil water content (SWC) at − 33 and − 1500 kPa; plant available water (PAW); saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat); bulk density (BD); and total porosity. A penetrometer was used to measure cone index (CI) at each sample location. Variography, two mixed-model analyses, and principal components analysis were conducted. Results indicated that soil physical properties could be divided into two categories. The first category described the majority of the within-field variability and included particle size distribution (soil texture), SWC, PAW, and CI. These characteristics showed horizontal spatial structure that was captured by soil map units and especially by the division between sandy loams and finer loam soils. The second class of variables included BD, total porosity, and Ksat. These properties were not spatially correlated in the field and were unrelated to soil map unit. These findings support the hypothesis that coastal plain soil map units that delineate boundaries between sandy loams versus finer loam soils may be useful for developing management zones for site-specific crop management.     

SOIL CLASSIFICATION IN THE SOIL SURVEY OF ENGLAND AND WALES

The development of soil classification as a basis for soil mapping in England and Wales is briefly reviewed, and a system for future use is described. The things classified are soil profiles, and classes are defined by relatively permanent characteristics that can be observed or measured in the field, or inferred within limits from field examination by comparison with analysed samples. Profile classes are defined at four categorical levels by progressive division, and are termed major groups, groups, subgroups, and soil series respectively. Classes in the three higher categories are defined partly by the composition of the soil material and partly by the presence or absence of particular diagnostic horizons, or evidence of recent alluvial origin, within specified depths. Soil series are distinguished by other characteristics, chiefly lithologic, not differentiating in higher categories. Most of the soil groups, regarded as the principal category above the soil series, are closely paralleled in other European systems, in the U.S.D.A. system (7th Approximation with subsequent amendments), or in both. Compared with the system used hitherto, the main innovations are the use of specific soil properties to define classes at all categorical levels, and the separation at group level of classes based primarily on inherited lithologic characteristics. The soil-profile classification provides a uniform basis for identifying soil map units, considered as classes of delineated soil bodies. When a map unit is identified by the name of a profile class, it is implied that most of the soil in each delineation conforms to that class, and that unconforming inclusions belong to one or more closely related classes or occupy an insignificant proportionate area. Map units identified by land attributes not differentiating in the profile classification are termed phases.     

Relationship between water tension and electrical resistivity in soils

An increase in the soil water content results in a decrease in the electrical resistivity of soil. This relationship obeys an exponential equation. When the water content is below the range of capillary-film water, the clearest relationship between the electrical resistivity and water content is observed, which allows the soil and ground waters to be studied. At a high water content, the dependence of the electrical resistivity on the content of exchangeable anions, the pH, and some other properties is detectable.     

Using scattered hyperspectral imagery data to map the soil properties of a region

Airborne hyperspectral imagery has been recently proved to be a successful technique for predicting soil properties of the bare soil surfaces that are usually scattered in the landscape. This new soil covariate could much improve the digital soil mapping (DSM) of soil properties over larger areas. To illustrate this, we experimented with digital soil mapping in a 24.6‐km² area located in the vineyard plain of Languedoc. As input data, we used 200 points with clay content measurements and 192 bare soil fields representing 3.5% of the total area in which the clay contents of the soil surface were successfully mapped at 5‐m resolution by hyperspectral remote sensing. The clay contents were estimated from CR₂₂₀₆, a spectrometric indicator that quantifies specific absorption features of clay at 2206 nm. We demonstrated by cross‐validation that the co‐kriging procedure based on our co‐regionalization model provided accurate error estimates at the clay measurement sites. Then, we applied a block co‐kriging model to map the mean clay content at increasing resolutions (50 , 100, 250 and 500 m). The results showed the following: (i) using hyperspectral data significantly increased the accuracy of the mean clay content estimations; (ii) a block co‐kriging procedure with reliable estimates of error variance can be used to estimate mean clay contents over larger areas and at coarser resolutions with acceptable and predictable errors and (iii) various maps can be produced that represent different compromises between prediction accuracy and spatial resolution.     

Exploring the variation in soil saturated hydraulic conductivity under a tropical rainforest using the wavelet transform

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) of the soil is a key variable in the water cycle. For the humid tropics, information about spatial scales of K_s and their relation to soil types deduced from soil map units is of interest, as soil maps are often the only available data source for modelling. We examined the influence of soil map units on the mean and variation in K_s along a transect in a tropical rainforest using undisturbed soil cores at 0–6 and 6–12 cm depth. The K_s means were estimated with a linear mixed model fitted by residual maximum likelihood (REML), and the spatial variation in K_s was investigated with the maximum overlap discrete wavelet packet transform (MODWPT). The mean values of K_s did not differ between soil map units. The best wavelet packet basis for K_s at 0–6 cm showed stationarity at high frequencies, suggesting uniform small‐scale influences such as bioturbation. There were substantial contributions to wavelet packet variance over the range of spatial frequencies and a pronounced low frequency peak corresponding approximately to the scale of soil map units. However, in the relevant frequency intervals no significant changes in wavelet packet variance were detected. We conclude that near‐surface K_s is not dominated by static, soil‐inherent properties for the examined range of soils. Several indicators from the wavelet packet analysis hint at the more dominant dynamic influence of biotic processes, which should be kept in mind when modelling soil hydraulic properties on the basis of soil maps.     

Copper adsorption behavior of three Malaysian rice soils

Abstract

Copper (Cu) deficiency exists in different rice growing areas of Malaysia. A study on Cu adsorption was carried out in three Malaysian rice soils (Idris, Tebengau, and Kangar series) using six levels of Cu (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 ug g^‐1). The data on Cu adsorption were fitted into Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin equations. Adsorption data were also correlated with pH, cation exchange capacity, and organic matter content of the soils. The effect of Cu addition on redox potential (Eh) of the soils was also measured. The Eh values were correlated with equilibrium solution Cu concentrations. Copper adsorption increased gradually with increasing level of added Cu in all the soils. The rate of increase was the highest in Kangar series followed by Tebengau and Idris, respectively. Correlation between Cu adsorption and pH was significant (r=0.772) whereas correlation of adsorption with either organic matter content or cation exchange capacity was nonsignificant. Copper adsorption in two soils (Idris and Tebengau) fitted Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin equations whereas Cu adsorption in the Kangar soil fitted Freundlich and Temkin equations. Redox potential (Eh) of the soils increased gradually with increasing level of added Cu. The rate of increase was the highest in Idris followed by Kangar and Tebengau soils, respectively. The relationship between equilibrium solution Cu concentration and redox potential was significant. The results of this study indicated that copper adsorption is mainly dependent on soil pH. In soils with higher adsorption capacity, more Cu fertilizer may be needed to get immediate crop response.