A guide for the use of digital elevation model data for making soil surveys

Abstract

The intent of this publication is twofold: (1) to serve as a user guide for soil scientists and others interested in learning about the value and use of digital elevation model (DEM) data in making soil surveys and (2) to provide documentation of the Soil Landscape Analysis Project (SLAP). This publication provides a step-by-step guide on how digital slope-class maps are adjusted to topographic maps and orthophotoquads to obtain accurate slope-class maps, and how these derivative maps can be used as a base for soil survey premaps. In addition, guidance is given on the use of aspect-class maps and other resource data in making pre-maps. The value and use of tabular summaries are discussed. Examples of the use of DEM products by the authors and by selected field soil scientists are also given. Additional information on SLAP procedures may be obtained from USDA, Soil

Fuzzy logic and differences between interpretive soil maps

“…In recent years, GIS methods have been applied in various ways and degrees in digital soil mapping projects (Klingebiel et al, 1988;Skidmore et al, 1996;Rahman et al, 1997;Bell et al, 1999;McKenzie et al, 2000;Corner et al, 2002;Bathgate and Duram, 2003;McBratney et al, 2003;Lagacherie et al, 2007). Typically, data representing the soil-forming factors (i.e.…”

Predicting regolith properties using environmental correlation: a comparison of spatially global and spatially local approaches

“…Geomorphometric indices are calculated from a DEM interpolated from 5 m interval contour data to a 30 m cell size using ANUDEM (Hutchinson, 1989). Only elevation, slope, and flow accumulation are used, as the low local relief of the landscape reduces the variability of the curvatures to near zero and limits the effectiveness of aspect in regolith formation processes (Klingebiel et al, 1988, cited in Cialella et al, 1997. Flow Iron has a bimodal distribution and so its S.D.…”

Comparison between the United States Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and the two models commonly used for estimating rainfall-runoff in south-eastern Botswana

“…Digital elevation models and digital terrain maps (DTM) can be used to derive a wealth of information about the morphology of a land surface using algorithms traditionally used for processing raster data (U.S. Geological Survey, 1987;Jenson and Domingue, 1988;Klingebiel et al 1988;Wainwright and Mulligan, 2005). Nowadays DEMs are widely and readily available, these include satellite derived DEMs such as ASTER and SRTM, aerial photography derived DEMs and finally DEMs from digitised contour maps (Beven, 2005;Wentzel, 2002).…”