Applications of Soils Data

Abstract

Soil survey, classification, and interpretation efforts are well established in countries around the world, and play significant roles in land use and natural resource decision-making. Scientific inquiry into soils began in the nineteenth century, with centers in Western Europe, Russia, and the USA. The early US pioneers in soil science and survey emphasized the soil genesis concepts developed in Russia in the 1870s and worked to validate and apply these landmark principles. Soils interpretations bring information on tangible and measurable soil properties together with desired uses to make predictions about site suitability or limitations. Applications of soils data and survey interpretations have steadily broadened in range and precision, from the earliest interpretations that identified potential for salt accumulation in soils to today's sophisticated uses for precision agriculture and evaluating nonpoint-source pollution risks. This article examines the development and uses of soils interpretations and data in the USA.