Open Soil Profiles - testbed data portal for storing soil profile data

Open Soil Proles

Tomislav Hengl
ISRIC World Soil Information, Wageningen University

GSM2011.org, June 2024th 2011

GSIF components

1. Cyber infrastructure for input, analysis and visualization of
data.
2. Global databases (legacy data, gridded covariates) that
are main inputs to global soil mapping.
3. Software tools (modules and packages) and manuals for
creation of geoinformation, for instance, according to the
GlobalSoilMap.net specications.
4. Standards and protocols for data entry, map generation and
data sharing.


Hypothesis

Probably the most valuable legacy soil survey data

are the eld records of soil properties
i.e. soil prole observations


Denition

Soil eld record1: any georeferenced observation
or measurement of soil properties
(anything measured in soil medium)

1
Compare with e.g. http://www.geosamples.org

Book chapter


Proposed implementation

1. Build an open (real time Public access) data portal that
can be used to collect and maintain world soil eld
observations



observations
2. Use it to facilitate global soil mapping activities



observations
2. Use it to facilitate global soil mapping activities
3. Collect millions of points. . .


Basic principles

1. Soil surveyors / contributors remain owners of the data
(read/write rights)


Basic principles

(read/write rights)
2. Anyone can contribute


Basic principles

(read/write rights)
3. Anyone can use


Basic principles

(read/write rights)
3. Anyone can use
4. (ISRIC will maintain and improve it)


GBIF


Global Surface Summary of the Day (GSOD)


There are probably millions of soil records out there

Figure: USDA NCSS Characterization Database, CSIRO National Soil
Archive, ISRIC WISE, SPADE, Iran National soil prole database,
Canadian Soil Information System, and African soil proles.


Lower Saxony

Only in Lower Saxony

(federal state in northern Germany)

there are about 1.3 millions

of soil proles and cores. 2

2
Rainer et al. (2011): Soil carbon balance in sensitive ecosystems in Europe.


Endangered species

Legacy soil eld records are being lost as we speak.

There is a considerable

danger of being lost to eective use forever (!)


Types of soil observations (records)

1. Freeform Soil Records (FFSR)
2. Soil Prole Records in Original Form (SPROF)
3. Harmonized Soil Prole Records (HSPR)


FFSR

Only a very limited number of basic site columns are
absolutely required.
Freeform soil records do not need to describe a whole soil
prole (0200 cm) nor do they require any pedological or
taxonomic data.
Variable types (columns) are extendible.
Entries are not restricted to standard measurement techniques.
Metadata is attached to each new record and is a part of the
record.


SPROF

Soil Prole Records in Original Form (SPROF)

are soil prole records that describe complete prole

but are unharmonized
(do not comply with a single international standard)


HSPR

Are complete (core columns).
Are ready for use (mapping and analysis).
Contain soil variables required to produce maps
according to GlobalSoilMap.net specications.
Do not carry any metadata (metadata is standard).


Data entry scheme
New entry

Complete
NO YES
profile?

Soil Profile Record NO
in Original Form Harmonized YES
(SPROF) values?

Freeform soil Fill in the Harmonize Harmonized Soil
record missing to referent Profile Record
(FFSR) values method (HSPR)

SOIL
Open soil record REFERENCE Open soil profile
LIBRARY
OSRL0 OSPL0
Open Soil Profiles
(ISRIC hosted enterprise DB)


Test-bed data portal


Data display / sharing

For convenience of automated use and for consistency, we propose
the following attributes for HSPD:
One row = one record3
Column naming convention
Uncertainty columns
Access via URL or via ODBC (MySQL)

3
Although in the background we work with a relational DB.


3D variables

A proposed standard naming convention. E.g. pH estimated in 1:5
water solution for the initial soil depth layer becomes:

variable type estimation model depth sequence

P H I H O 5 _ A

variable type estimation model

T A X N U S D A GSM2011.org, June 2024th 2011

variable type estimation model depth sequence
Site observations

P H I H O 5 . A
Site information, such as soil classication by the USDA system can
be coded as:

variable type estimation model

T A X N U S D A


Summary points

If meteorologists, ecologists have managed to build
global data sets of eld records why can't we?


Summary points

If a government agency does not intend to sell their soil
data, why not contribute to OSP (distributed hosting)?


Summary points

Before we can use the OSP for soil mapping, we need to
convert FFSR and SPROF to HSPR


Summary points

Before we can use the OSP for soil mapping, we need to
convert FFSR and SPROF to HSPR
There is an enormous value in legacy soil eld data
(forgotten goldmine)


Next steps

Prepare entry templates for FFSR, SPROF and HSPR
Focus on National soil prole datasets
Invite people (IUSS, DSM, any soil surveyor) to contribute
Popularize it


Open Soil Profiles - testbed data portal for storing soil profile data

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