-- Name -- profile element -- Definition -- An abstract spatial object type grouping soil layers and / or horizons for functional/operational aims. -- Description -- Profile element is the general term for both horizons and layers.
-- Name -- soil plot -- Definition -- spot where a specific soil investigation is carried out. -- Description -- NOTE 1: For observed soil profiles, a spot location has to be defined. It is the place on which the observation is made. The profile is an observation made on the plot. NOTE 2: All types of plots only provide locality, but no soil information itself. EXAMPLE A borehole is the location where you gather the information to abstract a profile information from. SOURCE GS Soil
-- Name -- observed soil profile -- Definition -- a representation of a soil profile found on a specific location which is described on the basis of observations in a trial pit or with a borehole. -- Description -- The observed soil profile corresponds to a set of data taken directly from a georeferenced soil profile, described in the field, and often sampled and analyzed in the laboratory.
-- Name -- soil site -- Definition -- area within a larger survey, study or monitored area, where a specific soil investigation is carried out. -- Description -- Site provides the object to describe: a.) the surroundings of the plot and/or b.) the larger piece of land that is directly linked to and described by all soil investigations on its one or more spots (SoilPlots). It thus provides the object to which soil data of different kind (or the same kind, but at different points in time, e.g. in soil monitoring) obtained on different plots is related as if it would have been collected at the very same place. This allows for: 1. combination of data that cannot be obtained on the very same place EXAMPLE: a soil pit and investigations on earthworm abundance cannot be done in the same place, but possibly some metres apart from each other. Nonetheless shall the results of both investigations be combined to inform about the soil state. or 2. comparison of soil condition after some time has elapsed. EXAMPLE: Organic carbon stock has been investigated using data from two monitoring periods that had to be conducted on spatially slightly separated places because the sampling is destructive. Nonetheless are the results of both periods regarded as giving an idea how organic carbon stock has changed over the years at the same place. The site is also the object to state the date and time information on validity, etc. The soil site might have delineation, but can be located with a centre or reference point location only. Delineated soil sites - possibly in the form of cadastral parcels - are especially used in the inventory of contaminated areas. NOTE Any plot can be linked to one specific site only, but several plots to one site. SOURCE GS Soil, modified
-- Name -- soil derived object -- Definition -- A spatial object type for representing spatial objects with soil-related property derived from one or more soil and possibly other non soil properties. -- Description -- NOTE Soil thematic maps can be derived directly from the involved soil database (organic matter content, pH, texture, etc.) or they can be derived by using pedotransfer functions or pedotransfer rules (e.g. plant available water in the rooting depth). Derivation can be simple extraction from a single data field, or a complex combination of different kind of data and application of e.g. mathematical or expert knowledge-based procedures.
-- Name -- soil theme coverage -- Definition -- a spatial object type that holds values for a property based on one or more soil and possibly non soil parameters within its spatial, temporal or spatiotemporal domain. -- Description -- SOURCE Adapted from "Coverage" [ISO 19123:2005].
-- Name -- soil horizon -- Definition -- Domain of a soil with a certain vertical extension, more or less parallel to the surface and homogeneous for most morphological and analytical characteristics, developed in a parent material layer through pedogenic processes or made up of in-situ sedimented organic residues of up-growing plants (peat). -- Description -- SOURCE ISO/WD 28258, modified NOTE Horizons may be part of a layer.
-- Name -- soil theme descriptive coverage -- Definition -- a spatial object type that is associated to the soil theme coverage and holds additional information on values of a property of the soil theme coverage. -- Description -- This coverage can only exist in relation to a base coverage SoilThemeCoverage, it has the same domain and spatial extent as the base coverage. And it gives extra information on the values of the base coverages SOURCE Adapted from "Coverage" [ISO 19123:2005]. EXAMPLE coverage indicating the confidence level of the pH values reported in the associated SoilThemeCoverage.
-- Name -- derived soil profile -- Definition -- non-point-located soil profile that serves as a reference profile for a specific soil type in a certain geographical area. -- Description -- The characteristics of a derived soil profile are mostly derived (e.g. averaged) from one or several observed profiles of the same soil type in the area of interest, or are designed with expert knowledge about the same kind of landscape. NOTE 1 The derived soil profile represents the average or typical profile that characterizes the so called soil typological unit, soil series.
-- Name -- soil body -- Definition -- Part of the soil cover that is delineated and that is homogeneous with regard to certain soil properties and/or spatial patterns. -- Description -- The soils present in the soil body are characterized by one or more derived soil profiles that are found together in the area specified by the “geometry” attribute of the SoilBody. NOTE 1 If several derived soil profiles are used to describe the soil body, the spatial distribution of the soil they describe within the soil body is not defined, but their presence is indicated by a range percentage of area. The underlying reason behind the fact of not delineating the different soils within a soil body is the target scale of the map or spatial dataset. This means that geographical accuracy and preciseness of soil characterization depend on and vary with the target scale, i.e. the soil body can be delineated differently among scales. NOTE 2 The concept of soil body is a correlate of the concept soil mapping unit, and the soils of a soilbody might form e.g. a soil association, a soil complex, etc.
-- Name -- soil profile -- Definition -- description of the soil that is characterized by a vertical succession of profile elements. -- Description -- NOTE The soil profile is abstracted from observations in a trial pit or a boring, or derived from expert knowledge using other soil profiles.
-- Name -- Soil layer -- Definition -- domain of a soil with a certain vertical extension developed through non-pedogenic processes, displaying a change in structure and/or composition to possibly over- or underlying adjacent domains, or a grouping of soil horizons or other sub-domains with a special purpose. -- Description -- NOTE1 Different kinds of layer concepts are covered by this definition. EXAMPLE 1 Geogenic layers: These are domains, resulting from e.g. sedimentation (as non-pedogenic) processes, that display an unconformity to possibly over- or underlying adjacent domains. EXAMPLE 2 Topsoil and Subsoil: These can be domains that group different soil horizon types (e.g. A vs. B horizons), or a special case of fixed depths with only two depth ranges (e.g. 0-15 cm: topsoil and, 15-75 cm: subsoil). EXAMPLE 3 Depth intervals: They are often used in soil monitoring, sampling of contaminated sites and in modelling and include: (i) depth increments (also called fixed depths) that are often used for sampling, e.g. 0-30cm, 30-60cm, and so on, (ii) a single depth range in which a soil sample (”specimen”) is taken and for which the analytical result is valid, and (iii) soil slicing, that is, profile segmentation according to a specified vector, for instance, either regularly spaced intervals (1cm), or a user-defined vector of segment boundaries (i.e. 0-10, 10-25, 25-50, 50-100). Slicing is used in modelling to generate continuous depth functions for soil properties. EXAMPLE 4: In the framework of soils deeply modified by human activity, artificial layers may be due to different kinds of deposits (concrete, bricks, …). SOURCE WD ISO28258, modified
-- Name -- FAO horizon notation type -- Definition -- A classification of a horizon according to the Horizon classification system specified in Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006. -- Description -- A code system that denotes horizons in which the same dominant soil forming processes has been active similarly. This code summarizes many observations of the soil description and gives an impression about the genetic processes that have formed the soil under observation. NOTE The horizon notation according to FAO (2006) is a combination of several symbols: · A number that gives information about discontinuities, i.e. the number of the material in which the soil has formed, counted up from the soil surface, but not for the first material. · One or two capital letters that designate the type of master horizon (or transitional horizon), possibly separated by a slash · Lower case letters that designate subordinate characteristics of the horizon. · A number that designates horizontal subdivisions of otherwise similarly denoted horizon parts · A prime that enables to distinguish two horizons that have the same naming, but formed in different cycles of pedogenesis. EXAMPLE 2B' tg1 SOURCE 1 Page 67 - 77 of the Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006. (ISBN 92-5-105521-1)
-- Name -- range type -- Definition -- A range value defined by an upper limit and a lower limit.
-- Name -- WRB soil name type -- Definition -- an identification of the soil profile according to the profile to according to “World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2006, first update 2007”, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103. FAO, Rome. -- Description -- NOTE The structure of the WRBSoilNameType was based on the World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2007. EXAMPLE Lixic Vertic Ferralsol (Ferric, Rhodic), WRB 2006, update 2007.
-- Name -- soil theme descriptive parameter type -- Definition -- data type providing a descriptive property for the soil-related property (soil theme) that is represented by its associated SoilThemeCoverage. -- Description -- this datatype exists of a name and if needed a unit of measurement. EXAMPLE confidence level for each value in the SoilThemeCoverage (pH in the topsoil)
-- Name -- particle size fraction type -- Definition -- share of the soil that is composed of mineral soil particles of the size within the size range specified. -- Description -- Mineral part of the soil, fractioned on the basis of size (diameter), limits of the particles. It is the fine earth fraction. That is, the portion of the soil that passes through a 2 mm diameter sieve opening. The grain (or particle) size distribution characterizes the soil mineral material, based on the share of each equivalent diameter class of the individual particles. SOURCE1 NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil survey laboratory information manual, Soil survey investigation report n.45 version 1.0 May 1995 pag. 11 SOURCE2 GLOSSARY OF SOIL SCIENCE TERMS
-- Name -- other soil name type -- Definition -- an identification of the soil profile according to a specific classification scheme. -- Description -- EXAMPLE Fluventic Haploxerept, according to Soil Taxonomy (USDA 2006).
-- Name -- other horizon notation type -- Definition -- classification of a horizon according to a specific classification system. -- Description -- A code system denoting horizons in which the same dominant soil forming processes have been active in the same way. This code summarizes many observations of the soil description and gives an impression about the genetic processes that have formed the soil under observation.
-- Name -- WRB qualifier group type -- Definition -- A data type to define the group of a qualifier and its possible specifier(s), its place and position with regard to the World Reference Base (WRB) Reference Soil Group (RSG) it belongs to according to World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2007.
-- Name -- soil theme parameter type -- Definition -- A soil-related property (soil theme) that is represented by this coverage. It is composed of a parameter name coming from a codelist SoilDerivedObjectParameterNameValue and a Unit of Measure used for expressing that parameter. -- Description -- EXAMPLE Land irrigation suitability, pH in the topsoil, etc
-- Name --
profile element parameter name value
-- Definition --
list of properties that can be observed to characterize the profile element.
The allowed values for this code list comprise a number of pre-defined values and narrower values defined by data providers.
This code list is hierarchical.
-- Description --
Basically these parameters can be divided in several major groups like:
-- Name --
soil derived object parameter name value
-- Definition --
list of soil related properties that can be derived from soil and other data.
The allowed values for this code list comprise a number of pre-defined values and narrower values defined by data providers.
This code list is hierarchical.
-- Description --
Basically these parameters can be divided in several major groups like:
-- Name -- WRB Qualifier place value -- Definition -- list of values to indicate the placement of the Qualifier with regard to the WRB reference soil group (RSG). The placement can be in front of the RSG i.e. 'prefix' or it can be behind the RSG i.e. 'suffix'. The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values ”prefix” and “suffix”, according to naming rules of the World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2007.
-- Name -- layer type value -- Definition -- classification of a layer according to the concept that fits the purpose. -- Description -- EXAMPLE Topsoil: meaning the upper part of the natural soil that is generally dark coloured and has a higher content of organic matter and nutrients when compared to the (mineral ) horizons below excluding the humus layer.
--- Name -- soil plot type -- Definition -- list of possible values that give information on what kind of plot the observation of the soil is made. -- Description -- NOTE Trial pits, boreholes or samples can be seen as types of soil plots.
-- Name -- WRB qualifiers -- Definition -- list of possible qualifiers (i.e. prefix and suffix qualifiers of the World Reference Base for Soil Resources). The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in “World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007”. -- Description -- SOURCE World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2007. NOTE WRB restricts the use of qualifiers in different ways for the 32 reference soil groups.
-- Name -- FAO horizon master value -- Definition -- A code list of the master part of the horizon designation. The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006, pp. 67-77.
-- Name -- FAO horizon subordinate value -- Definition -- A code list of designations of subordinate distinctions and features within the master horizons and layers which are based on profile characteristics observable in the field and are applied during the description of the soil at the site. The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006, pp. 67-77. -- Description -- Lower case letters are used as suffixes to designate specific kinds of master horizons and layers, and other features. SOURCE Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006, pp. 67-77, table 85
-- Name --
soil profile parameter name value
-- Definition --
list of properties that can be observed to characterize the soil profile.
The allowed values for this code list comprise a number of pre-defined values and narrower values defined by data providers.
This code list is hierarchical.
-- Description --
Basically these parameters can be divided in several major groups like:
-- Name -- FAO prime value -- Definition -- A prime and double prime may be used to connotate the master horizon symbol of the lower of two (prime) or three (double prime) horizons having identical Arabic-numeral prefixes and letter combinations. The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006, pp. 67-77. -- Description -- Identical designations may be appropriate for two or more horizons or layers separated by at least one horizon or layer of a more different kind in the same pedon. The sequence A-E-Bt-E-Btx-C is an example - the soil has two E horizons. To make communication easier, a prime is used with the master horizon symbol of the lower of two horizons having identical letter designations: A-E-Bt-E’-Btx-C. The prime is applied to the capital letter designation, and any lower case symbol follows it: B’t. The prime is not used unless all letters of the designations of two different layers are identical. Prime can be used for both minerals and organic soils.
-- Name -- WRB reference soil group (RSG) -- Definition -- list of possible reference soil groups (i.e. first level of classification of the World Reference Base for Soil Resources). The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in “World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007”. -- Description -- Reference Soil Groups are distinguished by the presence (or absence) of specific diagnostic horizons, properties and/or materials. NOTE The WRB soil classification system comprises 32 different RSGs. SOURCE World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2007.
-- Name -- other horizon notation type value -- Definition -- a classification of a soil horizon according to a specific classification system. The allowed values for this coded list comprise the values defined by data providers.
-- Name -- WRB specifiers -- Definition -- list of possible specifiers. The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in “World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007”. -- Description -- SOURCE World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007, World Soil Resources Reports No. 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2007. Specifiers are name elements in WRB restricting the meaning of qualifiers.
-- Name --
soil site parameter name value
-- Definition --
List of properties that can be observed to characterize the soil site.
The allowed values for this code list comprise a number of pre-defined values and narrower values defined by data providers.
-- Description --
Basically these parameters can be divided in several major groups like:
-- Name -- Other soil name type value -- Definition -- an identification of the soil profile according to a specific classification scheme. The allowed values for this coded list comprise the values defined by data providers.
-- Name -- soil investigation purpose value -- Definition -- list of terms indicating the reasons for conducting a survey. -- Description -- For soil two main purposes are identified to carry out soil surveys. One is to classify the soil as a result of soil forming processes (generalSurvey) and the other one is to investigate soil for a specific reason (specificSurvey) like a possible contamination as a result of contaminating activities. This information gives the data user an idea about possible bias in the selection of the site and therefore representativeness of the data that were obtained for a special purpose.
-- Name -- layer genesis process state value -- Definition -- an indication whether the process specified in layerGenesisProcess is ongoing or ceased in the past. -- Description -- Process state gives an idea whether current non-pedogenic processes affect the soil or not. E.g. on current floodplains, input of sediments during seasonal flooding events is received, with comparatively young soil development in it, while in older fluvial sediments that are no longer under a regime of seasonal or irregular flooding, soil development might be more advanced.
-- Name -- derived profile presence in soil body -- Definition -- indicates the percentages (lower and upper boundary) that the derived profile takes part in the Soil body. -- Description -- NOTE 1 A soil body is characterized by one or more derived soil profiles in a defined geographic area. When the soil body is characterized by more than one derived profiles, the distribution area of these derived soil profiles is not spatially defined, but their presence is indicated by a range of percentages. NOTE 2 The sum of lower boundary parts should not exceed 100%. NOTE 3 If not a range, but a specific percentage is used then the lower and upper boundaries are equal.