Harmonization of methods and

measurements (GSP Pillar 5)

ITPS, Rome, 14-18 March 2016

PoA proposes the development of an

over-arching system for harmonized

soil characterization

Back-up for Pillar 1 (indicators) and Pillar 4 (data products)

6 recommendations:

Context Pillar 5 PoA

Plan of Action (PoA)

Harmonization provides the ability to describe,

sample, classify, and analyze the soil in a way that

allows the combined use of the resulting data on a

scientifically sound basis. Soil data and

information derives from many sources, across

time, projects, agencies, and countries.

Definition

Overview Pillar 5 PoA: easy structure

1. Harmonization concept

2. Products in support of Harmonization

Principles for harmonization Recommendation 1

Recommendation 2

Definitions

Key areas

Recommendation 3, 4, 5, 6

3. Governance as closely as possible to Pillar 4

Implementation procedures

in the regional partnerships

Develop an over-arching system for harmonized soil

characterization as the central objective of Pillar 5. The

system builds on and merges existing approaches to

describe, classify, map, analyse and interpret soils.

P5 PoA Recommendations

Recommendation 1

GSP

Harmonization

Concept

Definitions

Key areas of

harmonization

Principles for

harmonization Recommendation 2

P5 PoA Recommendations

Key areas of

harmonization

soil profiles, soil

classification and

soil mapsRecommendation 3

Soil sampling and

analysis

Interoperability - Exchange

of digital soil information

Interpretation and evaluation

Recommendation 4

Recommendation 5

• Reference system for soil

profile description

• Reference system for soil

classification

• Reference system for soil

mapping

Implementation

Good Practice field sampling, sample

preparation and measurement

Global soil information model

Recommendation 6

Catalogue of soil health indicators

Method data base of pedo-transfer

rules and functions

1

2

3

4

Products acc. to Pillar 4 Global Soil Information System

Soil data for research: ag trials and other soil research

data (link with e-infrastructures, innovation

platforms/partnerships, international soil modelling

consortium)

Soil monitoring: indicators and methods

Scope defined in other Pillars:

P4 (data products, indicators), but also P1

(decision support) and P3 (research)

Definition of soil information products and

harmonization needs

Scope ESP Pillar 5

1.a Soil Description

Demand for Pillar 5: Soil Profiles Tier 2

Define reference system: PoA: improved FAO soil profile

description (see also IUSS WG Soil Classification)

Pillar 4: harmonisation requirements to enter specifications

document prepared by P4WG

Harmonization experiences, for example European Soil

Information System (little documentation) and GS Soil

project (strong documentation; test cases)

1.b Soil Classification – USC? – WRB/Soil Tax

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

CZ

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Portugal

Scotland/N. Ireland/

Rep. Ireland

Slovakia

Slovenia

[GS Soil test cases]

WRB most likely follow up classification to

the FAO legend (soil polygon maps);

soil profiles are found in WRB and US Soil

Taxonomy,

many countries have transformation-/

conversion-procedures developed

Tasks for Pillar 5

Prepare documentation and best practice: data needs and

methods to convert and update map legends and profiles

Results will back up Pillar 4 product specifications

Status:

Demand for Pillar 5:

Conversion required for Tier 2 soil profiles

and soil types in soil polygon maps

1.c Soil mapping

Update, finalize and publish harmonization methods for

soil maps

Demand for Pillar 5:

Study existing harmonization rules for soil maps

(reference material: e.g. European nested system, see GS

Soil project, other input)

Tasks for Pillar 5

Results enter P4WG specifications for developing

global soil polygon coverage

2. Soil analysis

Join forces of existing initiatives

Develop Good Practice guidance

Demand for Pillar 5:

Tasks for Pillar 5

Good practice needed: facilitates the harmonisation of existing

and new soil analytical data

Loop back to ISO TC 190

differences of existing methods, criteria for ring tests, role of reference

samples and reference laboratories

exchange of existing conversion methods, development of new ones

by reference labs

Multiple ways

to store data

3. Interoperability – exchange of digital soil data

- Europe: INSPIRE soil data specifications

- World: ISO 28258; OGC Ag Domain WG and IE

- few national approaches

Background for Pillar 5:

Task: Test specifications nationally and revise ISO 28258

Interoperability is key principle of the soil spatial data

infrastructure; build on harmonized soil information model

Exchange of

data through

web services

3. Interoperability – exchange of digital soil data

Participate in global testing of ISO 28258 (extended OGC

interoperability test – 2016; GSP-wide): new initiative in

cooperation with Research Data Alliance (RDA)/Agriculture

Data Interest Group (IGAD) and GODAN (Global Open Data

for Agriculture and Nutrition)

Update ISO 28258 and finalize (SoilML)

Elaborate relationship to relevant existing models (national;

in the case of Europe: INSPIRE)

Develop cookbook and transformation services Feedback to

ISO TC 190 and IUSS WG SIS: join activities

Participate in EUROSOIL 17 - 22 July 2016 with European

INSII session

Tasks for Pillar 5:

4. Indicators (and applied methods)

Soil monitoring: Chapter of Status of World‘s Soil

Resources: Status of the European soil resources

SDG: national approaches, agri-env indicators

Dimension: UNCCD, LDN target,

4per1000 (COP21)

Scope:

Status quo about indicators, baselines,

common criteria, thresholds, monitoring

needs

Compile national approaches and

views to build global system

Tasks for ESP-Pillar 5:

4. (Indicators and) applied methods

-95 soil types

-1777 soil profiles

Hypres Database of Hydraulic

Properties of European Soils

Global method data bases: indicators, conversions,

evaluations

Revisit PTF/PTR catalogue in

existing soil data bases

Demand for Pillar 5:

Tasks for ESP-Pillar 5:

Applicability to other products (SOTER, 1:250k)

Analyse requirements to validated spatial

estimates of indicators

How can Pillar 5 be organized? – along other Pillars (P4)

1. Soil profile description, soil classification, soil mapping

INSII members: IUSS WG Soil Classification

2. Soil analysis

Establish Pillar 5 subgroup of soil analytical experts (ICP

Forests, EGS, national networks of agricultural research

stations)

3. Soil Information model

INSII members: get involved in IUSS WG SIS, Europe:

INSPIRE Thematic cluster soil, ISO TC 190 , OGC Ag

Domain WG

4. Indicators/Methods

INSII members