Soil survey enhancements for natural resource management: Case studies from the southwestern U.S.

TitleSoil survey enhancements for natural resource management: Case studies from the southwestern U.S.
Publication TypeConference Proceedings
Year of Publication2004
AuthorsHerrick JE, Merkler D., Biggam P., Tugel A.J.
Conference Name2004 Western Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference
PaginationCDROM
Date PublishedJune 13-18, 2004
Conference LocationJackson, WY
ARIS Log Number167480
Keywordsdynamic soil properties, GIS integration, natural resource management, soil survey, Southwest
AbstractThis paper illustrates how both new types of data and the reinterpretation of existing data can be used to improve the quality and value of soil survey interpretations for natural resource management. New data on soil resistance and resilience to different types of disturbance can be used to select dynamic soil properties for inclusion in future soil surveys. Other factors, including data cost and quality, must be considered in the selection of dynamic soil properties. In the short term, we discuss an example of how GIS analysis tools can be used together with spatial slope and elevation information to produce more detailed thematic maps from existing Order 3 soil surveys. We conclude that (1) future soil survey enhancements depend on the development of soil and ecological, site-specific information on dynamic soil properties, (2) soil interpretations based on integration of GIS and process-based conceptual models increase the value of existing soil survey data, and (3) application of these conclusions will be facilitated by displaying soil as a continuum across the landscape.
URL/files/bibliography/04-050ABS.pdf