The Australian Soil Classification

Differences between local systems of soil classification hinder the communication between pedologists from different countries. The FAO–UNESCO Soil Map of the World, as a fruit of world-wide collaboration between innumerable soil scientists, is recognised internationally. Ideally, pedologists should be able to match whole classes in their local systems to those in an international soil classification system. The Australian Soil Classification (ASC) system, created specifically for Australian soil, is widely used in Australia, and Australian pedologists wish to translate the orders they recognise into the FAO soil units when writing for readers elsewhere. We explored the feasibility of matching soil orders in the ASC to units in the FAO legend using a multivariate analysis. Twenty soil properties, variates, of 4927 profiles were estimated from their visible–near infrared reflectance (vis–NIR) spectra. We arranged the profiles in a Euclidean 20-dimensional orthogonal vector space defined by standardised variates. Class centroids were computed in that space, and the Euclidean distances between the centroids of the ASC orders and units in the FAO scheme were also computed. The shortest distance between a centroid of any ASC order and one of units in the FAO classification was treated as a best match. With only one exception the best matches were those that an experienced pedologist might expect. Second and third nearest neighbours in the vector space provided additional insight. We conclude that vis–NIR spectra represent sufficiently well the essential characters of the soil and so spectra could form the basis for the development of a universal soil classification system. In our case, we could assign with confidence the orders of the ASC to the units of the FAO scheme. A similar approach could be applied to link other national classification systems to one or other international systems of soil classification.

A nomenclature algorithm for a potentially global soil taxonomy

Soil erosion due to rainfall impact with no inflow: a numerical solution with spatial and temporal effects of sediment settling velocity characteristics

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of crop rotations and soil acidity amelioration on soil physical properties of an Oxisol (Rhodic Ferralsol or Red Ferrosol in the Australian Soil Classification) from October 2006 to September 2011 in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Treatments consisted of four soybean (Glycine max)–maize (Zea mays)–rice (Oryza sativa) rotations that differed in their off-season crop, either a signal grass (Urochloa ruziziensis) forage crop, a second crop, a cover crop, or fallow. Two acid-neutralising materials, dolomitic lime (effective calcium carbonate equivalent (ECCE) = 90%) and calcium-magnesium silicate (ECCE = 80%), were surface applied to raise the soil’s base saturation to 70%. Selected soil physical characteristics were evaluated at three depths (0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, and 0.2–0.4 m). In the top 0.1 m, soil bulk density was lowest (P < 0.05) and macroporosity and aggregate stability index were greatest (P < 0.05) in the forage crop compared with all other production systems. Also, bulk density was lower (P < 0.05) and macroporosity was greater (P < 0.05) in the acid-neutralising-amended than the unamended control soil. In the 0.1–0.2-m interval, mean weight diameter and mean geometric diameter were greater (P < 0.05) in the forage crop compared with all other production systems. All soil properties evaluated in this study in the 0.2–0.4-m interval were unaffected by production system or soil amendment after five complete cropping cycles. Results of this study demonstrated that certain soil physical properties can be improved in a no-tillage soybean–maize–rice rotation using a forage crop in the off-season and with the addition of acid-neutralising soil amendments. Any soil and crop management practices that improve soil physical properties will likely contribute to sustaining long-term soil and crop productivity in areas with highly weathered, organic matter-depleted, acidic Oxisols.

The demands being placed on land resource information are changing and users now expect predictions of spatial and temporal trends in soil and landscape properties. In response, new methods of land resource survey are utilizing technological advances in digital terrain analysis, remote sensing, spatial statistics and geographic information systems. The methods are overcoming deficiencies in conventional survey. Maps with discrete polygons .and morphologically defined soil types are being replaced by predicted surfaces of individual soil and landscape properties. These predictions provide better inputs to simulation models and allow more flexible interpretation. The strides in computing technology and analysis evident in quantitative land resource survey are yet to be matched by advances in soil sampling and measurement. In conventional survey, field sampling is rarely statistically based and as a consequence, estimates of map accuracy and precision are difficult to provide. It is also assumed that strong correlations exist between field observable morphology and other more expensive soil properties. This assumption is rarely tested. Quantitative survey requires a substantial increase in direct soil measurement. The quality and quantity soil physical and hydraulic data are currently inadequate and more efficient measurement methods are required. There is a need for standardisation, improved laboratory practice and appropriate specimen volumes. Much greater discipline is also required in the documentation and digital storage of data. Adequate pedotransfer functions are necessary to predict the difficult‐to‐measure physical and hydraulic properties from limited input data. Pedotransfer functions have an important role in land resource survey because it is impractical to measure expensive physical and chemical properties at large numbers of sites. It is suggested that measurement limitations create the main obstacles to the development of more effective systems for providing land resource information at scales from the paddock to the continent.

Soil Physical Measurement and Interpretation for Land Evaluation: by N. Mckenzie, K. Coughlan and H. Cresswell (Eds.). Australian soil and land survey handbook series Vol. 5, CSIRO Publishing, 2002. Hardbound, 379 pp. ISBN 0 643 06767 1 A$89.95

The US Soil Taxonomy hierarchy constitutes six levels (Order-suborder-great group-subgroup-family-soil series). In the UAE soil survey, soil family in the extensive survey and soil series in the intensive survey are recognized. The name of soil family and a soil series is used as a soil map unit component. There are 62 soil families and 19 soil families established with the correlation of extensive survey of Abu Dhabi Emirate and Dubai Emirate soil survey, respectively. There are a total of 74 soil series established with the correlation and publication of the soil surveys of the Abu Dhabi Emirate and the Northern Emirates. Salidic subgroup has been developed for the United Arab Emirates Keys to Soil Taxonomy and is recognized for the first time in this publication. In this chapter a list of the current identified soil families and soil series in the UAE and their official classification based on this Key are reported.

To remain relevant in a changing world, soil survey and soil science need to look beyond the traditional to urban applications. Urban and suburban areas generally have the highest population densities and land values and arguably the greatest need for the ecosystem services that soil can provide. The urban environment poses a distinctive set of challenges for soil scientists. The description, classification, and mapping of soils in human-altered and human-transported materials is the charge of the field soil scientist, extending above and beyond the urban setting. Environmental professionals, planners, educators, and students in urban areas are often unfamiliar with soil survey and soil science in general. This paper discusses a successful approach to establishing a soil survey or soil science program in the urban community. For over 20 years, the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) and the New York City Soil and Water Conservation District (NYCSWCD) have conducted a soil survey program in New York City, producing multiple soil surveys at different scales, culminating in a 1:12000 scale survey posted on the Web Soil Survey site in 2014. The multifaceted program has also included onsite investigations, research projects, and an education and outreach component including lectures, training sessions, and workshops, as well as volunteer and internship opportunities. New and innovative approaches in soil survey methods, product design and delivery, and outreach have been used, as appropriate, to best fit the needs of the urban environment. The NYC Soil Survey program has built a succession of partnerships with government agencies, colleges, universities, and community and commercial groups, resulting in a variety of products and services to meet local soil science needs. Over time, the program has successfully been able to raise awareness of soil science in the urban environment, establish a USDA-NRCS presence in the City, and provide useful soil information to an underserved segment of the population. Making the local connection, listening to local needs, offering a multifaceted and wide array of soil science-related services, exploring innovative approaches, and creating partnerships have shown to be successful components of establishing a soil survey program in the urban environment.

Stable soil organic matter: A comparison of C:N:P:S ratios in Australian and other world soils

Legacy soil maps as a covariate in digital soil mapping: A case study from Northern Iran

Land types play an important guiding role in human survival and production. Clarifying the division of land types is the basis for ensuring the sustainable and coordinated development of social-economic-natural complex ecosystems. To date, the land type classification system has not formed a unified standard, and the existing classification fails to highlight the natural background elements of land. Therefore, it is important to construct a classification system that can reflect natural background elements. Additionally, land type classification is often based on land resource surveys. Updating the land type is generally difficult and slow, mainly due to a lack of appropriate information. Hence, it is necessary to develop an automatic land type renewal method using multisource information. This study proposes the ecology-geomorphology cognition (Eco-geoC) approach for land type classification. The approach is realized by the segmentation of land units using remote sensing images, geographic information, vegetation, soil, DEM, and geoscience knowledge. This approach is an extension of the object-based image analysis method. The spatial objects segmented from different attribute data are integrated, and finally, a comprehensive land mapping unit representing a certain degree of geographical homogeneity and land use potential is generated. The results show that the Eco-geoC approach is an integrated approach with objectification cognition on remote sensing images and multisource information using geo-knowledge. The Eco-geoC approach is tested in the Altay region. From coarse to fine scales, the study area is divided into two kinds of natural belts, 27 land systems and 78 land units, and a 1:500,000 land-type map, which shows a good coupling relationship between the physiognomy, vegetation, and soil in the Altay region, is compiled. The results of this study show that the use of the Eco-geoC approach for land type classification is significant and has potential for land assessment and planning. This approach can provide a scientific basis for the restoration of the regional ecology and the comprehensive management and adjustment of land resources and the environment.

Land is an essential resource for economic and social development. Land resources investigation is important yet quite challenging. Geospatial technologies such as remote sensing (RS), global positioning system (GPS), and geographic information systems (GIS) have been utilized to support the second national land resources survey initiated by the Chinese central government since 2007. In this paper, we analyze the feasibility of using the remote sensing technology to support the second land resources survey and discuss the method of processing and interpreting remotely sensed data. We conclude that the remote sensing technology is critical to the completion of the second national land resources survey.

Thin on the ground: Land resource Survey in the British Overseas Territories.

Thin on the Ground: Land Resource Survey in British Overseas Territories ‐ by A. Young

Automated soil inference under fuzzy logic