open soil profiles - testbed data portal for storing soil profile data
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Open Soil Pro�les
Tomislav Hengl
ISRIC � World Soil Information, Wageningen University
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
GSIF components
1. Cyber infrastructure for input, analysis and visualization of
data.
2. Global databases (legacy data, gridded covariates) thatare 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 speci�cations.
4. Standards and protocols for data entry, map generation and
data sharing.
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Hypothesis
Probably the most valuable legacy soil survey data
are the �eld records of soil properties
i.e. soil pro�le observations
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
De�nition
Soil �eld record1: any georeferenced observationor measurement of soil properties
(anything measured in soil medium)
1Compare with e.g. http://www.geosamples.org
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Book chapter
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Proposed implementation
1. Build an open (real time Public access) data portal thatcan be used to collect and maintain world soil �eldobservations
2. Use it to facilitate global soil mapping activities
3. Collect millions of points. . .
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Proposed implementation
1. Build an open (real time Public access) data portal thatcan be used to collect and maintain world soil �eldobservations
2. Use it to facilitate global soil mapping activities
3. Collect millions of points. . .
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Proposed implementation
1. Build an open (real time Public access) data portal thatcan be used to collect and maintain world soil �eldobservations
2. Use it to facilitate global soil mapping activities
3. Collect millions of points. . .
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Basic principles
1. Soil surveyors / contributors remain owners of the data(read/write rights)
2. Anyone can contribute
3. Anyone can use
4. (ISRIC will maintain and improve it)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Basic principles
1. Soil surveyors / contributors remain owners of the data(read/write rights)
2. Anyone can contribute
3. Anyone can use
4. (ISRIC will maintain and improve it)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Basic principles
1. Soil surveyors / contributors remain owners of the data(read/write rights)
2. Anyone can contribute
3. Anyone can use
4. (ISRIC will maintain and improve it)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Basic principles
1. Soil surveyors / contributors remain owners of the data(read/write rights)
2. Anyone can contribute
3. Anyone can use
4. (ISRIC will maintain and improve it)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Global Surface Summary of the Day (GSOD)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
There are probably millions of soil records out there
Figure: USDA NCSS Characterization Database, CSIRO National Soil
Archive, ISRIC WISE, SPADE, Iran National soil pro�le database,
Canadian Soil Information System, and African soil pro�les.
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Lower Saxony
�Only in Lower Saxony
(federal state in northern Germany)
there are about 1.3 millions
of soil pro�les and cores.�2
2Rainer et al. (2011): Soil carbon balance in sensitive ecosystems in Europe.
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Endangered species
�Legacy soil �eld records are being lost as we speak.
There is a considerable
danger of being lost to e�ective use forever (!)�
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Types of soil observations (records)
1. Freeform Soil Records (FFSR)
2. Soil Pro�le Records in Original Form (SPROF)
3. Harmonized Soil Pro�le Records (HSPR)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
FFSR
I Only a very limited number of basic site columns are
absolutely required.
I Freeform soil records do not need to describe a whole soil
pro�le (0�200 cm) nor do they require any pedological or
taxonomic data.
I Variable types (columns) are extendible.
I Entries are not restricted to standard measurement techniques.
I Metadata is attached to each new record and is a part of the
record.
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
SPROF
Soil Pro�le Records in Original Form (SPROF)
are soil pro�le records that describe complete pro�le
but are unharmonized
(do not comply with a single international standard)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
HSPR
I Are complete (core columns).
I Are ready for use (mapping and analysis).
I Contain soil variables required to produce mapsaccording to GlobalSoilMap.net speci�cations.
I Do not carry any metadata (metadata is standard).
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Data entry scheme
Open Soil Profiles
Complete
profile?NO YES
Freeform soil
record
(FFSR)
Harmonized
values?
NO
New entry
Harmonize
to referent
method
(ISRIC hosted enterprise DB)
SOIL
REFERENCE
LIBRARY
OSRL0
Open soil record
YES
OSPL0
Harmonized Soil
Profile Record
(HSPR)
Fill in the
missing
values
Open soil profile
Soil Profile Record
in Original Form
(SPROF)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Data display / sharing
For convenience of automated use and for consistency, we proposethe following attributes for HSPD:
I One row = one record3
I Column naming convention
I Uncertainty columns
I Access via URL or via ODBC (MySQL)
3Although in the background we work with a relational DB.
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
3D variables
A proposed standard naming convention. E.g. pH estimated in 1:5water solution for the initial soil depth layer becomes:
estimation model
P H I H O 5 _ A
variable type depth sequence
estimation model
T A X N U S D A
variable type
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Site observations
Site information, such as soil classi�cation by the USDA system canbe coded as:
estimation model
P H I H O 5 . A
variable type depth sequence
estimation model
T A X N U S D A
variable type
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Summary points
I If meteorologists, ecologists have managed to buildglobal data sets of �eld records why can't we?
I If a government agency does not intend to sell their soildata, why not contribute to OSP (distributed hosting)?
I Before we can use the OSP for soil mapping, we need toconvert FFSR and SPROF to HSPR
I There is an enormous value in legacy soil �eld data(forgotten goldmine)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Summary points
I If meteorologists, ecologists have managed to buildglobal data sets of �eld records why can't we?
I If a government agency does not intend to sell their soildata, why not contribute to OSP (distributed hosting)?
I Before we can use the OSP for soil mapping, we need toconvert FFSR and SPROF to HSPR
I There is an enormous value in legacy soil �eld data(forgotten goldmine)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Summary points
I If meteorologists, ecologists have managed to buildglobal data sets of �eld records why can't we?
I If a government agency does not intend to sell their soildata, why not contribute to OSP (distributed hosting)?
I Before we can use the OSP for soil mapping, we need toconvert FFSR and SPROF to HSPR
I There is an enormous value in legacy soil �eld data(forgotten goldmine)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Summary points
I If meteorologists, ecologists have managed to buildglobal data sets of �eld records why can't we?
I If a government agency does not intend to sell their soildata, why not contribute to OSP (distributed hosting)?
I Before we can use the OSP for soil mapping, we need toconvert FFSR and SPROF to HSPR
I There is an enormous value in legacy soil �eld data(forgotten goldmine)
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011
Next steps
I Prepare entry templates for FFSR, SPROF and HSPR
I Focus on National soil pro�le datasets
I Invite people (IUSS, DSM, any soil surveyor) to contribute
I Popularize it
GSM2011.org, June 20�24th 2011