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Derivation of Land Qualities to Assess Environmental Problems from Soil Surveys
Author(s) -
Breeuwsma A.,
Wösten J. H. M.,
Vleeshouwer J. J.,
Slobbe A. M.,
Bouma J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1986.03615995005000010035x
Subject(s) - soil map , soil texture , water table , soil series , soil science , land use , scale (ratio) , environmental science , organic matter , sorption , soil survey , cation exchange capacity , table (database) , soil water , range (aeronautics) , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , geography , soil classification , geology , computer science , cartography , database , ecology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , materials science , organic chemistry , adsorption , biology , composite material
A digitized soil map with scale 1:50 000 of a sandy area of 2000 ha in the Netherlands was used to derive interpretive maps showing gradations of three land qualities of importance in assessing environmental problems. An interactive graphics computer system (IGS) was used. The land qualities calculated from soil properties of the unsaturated zone were: (i) travel times of water, (ii) cation exchange capacity (CEC), and (iii) phosphate sorption capacity (PSC). Transfer functions were defined, relating soil characteristics (texture, organic matter content, and oxalate‐extractable Al and Fe, integrated across horizons designation) to the land qualities. Water‐table levels were defined in terms of the mean highest (MHW) and the mean lowest (MLW) levels. Land qualities were expressed in terms of classes that spanned the range of observed spatial variability. The IGS system can produce interpretive maps from the soil map almost instantly, given selected inputs such as specified water‐table levels.