2 Click the tiny Contribute link on the bottom right of the screen to learn .... Scroll down the left pop-out info box a
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Data Work: Global Soil Models & Databases Materials per Pair This doc displayed on one computer Internet access & ability to download software on another
Prepare When studying something as vast and complex as global soils, it is important to observe the subject from a variety of perspectives. We can observe: physical & chemical properties, including percent composition; look, feel, smell and taste of the soil; cross-section/soil horizons; heat/infrared maps to observe temperature; temporal changes (i.e., before and after photos), micrographs (photos taken with microscopes; remote sensors (such as the data collected about terrain from satellites); soil spectroscopy; land cover; known vegetation (since if you know what is growing there, you can model the type of soil that is likely underneath!); water data; and more. In this activity you and a partner will be using online soil databases to determine some characteristics of the soil profile and horizons in a particular location that you select according to your teacher’s instructions. You will record observations in this document, and then later you will be organizing those results to write a section of the Introduction. As a final step, you will be comparing your actual soil sample data to the global data gathered via these databases. ➢ SoilGrids is an expanding international database that is based completely on statistical predictions of current soil properties. Yes, a database of predictions, with an expected error ranging between 23 and 52%. Since scientists cannot possibly sample soil from a given 1km2 area monthly, much less all 250im2-areas globally, automated predictions based on historical soil data are necessary. Using statistical models, programmers have built the software in ways that require little human intervention. This is a form of supervised machine learning, where the software gets ‘smarter’ the more layers of data you give it, and the more refined your models and algorithms become.1 Human scientists do review the data outputs and select the best fit models for the existing data, even though there is no ‘perfect fit.’2 Click the tiny Contribute link on the bottom right of the screen to learn how SoilGrids collected open, increasingly accurate date. ➢ The Harmonized World Soil Database has greatly informed SoilGrids, and was first released in 2008 to address “the lack of reliable and harmonized soil data [that] has considerably hampered land degradation assessments, environmental impact studies and adapted sustainable land management interventions.” (p. iv)3 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the European Soil Bureau Network, and the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences were the major partners in this endeavor. 1
See this 2015 article by one of the lead software developers about a 250m grid project in Africa (optional): http://tinyurl.com/2015Africasoils and this 2016 article, which describes their approach to machine learning (takes a moment to open): http://tinyurl.com/2016soilgridspaper 2 Also see the 2014 journal article written by the database creators (optional). The image below is Figure 9 inside this article: http://tinyurl.com/2014SoilGrids 3 Browse the full documentation of the database here (optional): http://tinyurl.com/worldsoildatabase Environmental Dynamics II: SOIL That Sustains Us 1 of 7 Academic Honesty Policy: http://tinyurl.com/acadhonest ©2002-2016 EduChange. Any modified or new document based on EduChange work must carry this footer.
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Part A: Orientation 1. Point your browser to https://soilgrids.org/ and close the welcome text box. 2. Systematically review the Toolbar in the top right corner:
3. Below is a screenshot of the Keyboard shortcuts so you can refer to this sheet rather than upsetting your search screen. There are a few that are worth noting here. Try them now: •
a = geolocate; this allows the software to find exactly where you are at the moment and tell you about the soils your building and feet rest upon.
•
i = Toggle SoilInfo panel; if you click the map in a terrestrial area this will pull up the soil information predictions for that location.
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v = Toggle vector data; if you click the map in a terrestrial area this will pull up the latitude and longitude of the location. This data is collected by GPS (global positioning system) satellites.
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b = Cycle base maps; this allows you to change the background map to show different views. Keep clicking “b” to cycle through the options.
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o = Cycle opacity; you can make the background more or less transparent. Keep clicking “o” to cycle through the options.
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4. Now let’s look around…The map works like Google Maps, so use the cursor to center the map on the region you want to observe. 5. Move around so you can see the color patterns around the globe. Try to notice similarities in different regions, based on color patterns. What large regions have no soil data?
6. Zoom in by clicking on the place you wish to view more closely, then use the + and – buttons in the bottom left corner of the screen. It is interesting to keep some of the surrounding region in view for comparison. Wait a few moments for the colors to appear— there are layers and layers of data that the program is managing!
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7. View the image below to see what Soil Orders, or soil types, each color represents. The image shows part of northern Italy. Find the Soil Order toolbar on the bottom left corner of the screen. Discuss as a class.
More information about SoilGrids, its contributing agencies, and data may be found here: http://www.isric.org/content/soilgrids
More information on regional and national Soil Geographic Databases, which are less comprehensive but likely more accurate, may be found here: http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/dgr2/research/sgdb/sgdb.html
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Part B: Global Soil Profile Data 1. Each partnership will select a specific region of the world and collect information from the database. You will use these data as comparisons to other soil data you collect during your Soil Sampling tasks and Procedure. Choose two possible countries or regions you would like to explore; note that all students will be using this database to explore your local soil sampling site. Obviously, avoid places in the world where there are no data! 2. As a class, determine locations and type yours below:
3. Zoom in close enough so the scale at the bottom of the screen reads 5 km or 2 km. Click the map to drop your pin. 4. Click the pin indicating your location. A pop-up box will show you the most dominant soil type and the probability that the prediction is accurate. a. Record the Latitude and Longitude measurements of your pin location:
b. Record the WRB Name of the most probable soil taxon with predicted accuracies (0-100%): c. While the preferred name is the WRB Name, also record the USDA Name of the most probable soil taxon with predicted accuracies (0-100%). You may need this while you conduct your research, and this system is, in fact, used by many countries:
d. Review the descriptions of your dominant soil type and copy/paste those descriptions below.4 You’ll learn more about this soil profile later in this activity:
5. Scroll down the left pop-out info box and click Physical soil properties. We are not going to be concerned with ALL possible codes or data for this location. Focus on the properties below, as these are the ones you will compare to your own soil samples. Do your best to read the axes for the value closest to 5 cm depth.5 4
There are brief descriptions of all soil orders on page 30 (PDF p. 37) of the 2012 Harmonized World Soil Database (optional): http://tinyurl.com/worldsoildatabase 5 If you click on the Layers icon in the right toolbar, you are able to adjust the depth to 5 cm and the map will change color to show that given property. Look for the new color key in the bottom left of the screen (optional). Environmental Dynamics II: SOIL That Sustains Us 5 of 7 Academic Honesty Policy: http://tinyurl.com/acadhonest ©2002-2016 EduChange. Any modified or new document based on EduChange work must carry this footer.
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Explanation of Code
SoilGrid Code
Sand content % by mass
SNDPPT
Silt content % by mass
SLTPPT
Clay content % by mass
CLYPPT
% At depth of 5 cm
6. Scroll down the left pop-out info box and click Chemical soil properties. We are not going to be concerned with ALL possible codes or data for this location. Focus on the ones below, as these are the ones you will calculate from your own soil samples.6 Do your best to read the axes for the value closest to 5 cm depth.
Explanation of Code
SoilGrid Code
Soil pH in H2O
PHIHOX
% At depth of 5 cm
7. After you record all data, you can check out other properties that interest you. Then close the SoilGrids program.
Part C: Researching A Soil Order Currently, there is no truly universal soil classification system. However, the databases you just used represent a major step in the right direction. The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) has deemed that 2015 is The International Year of Soils http://globalsoilweek.org/ and they have put together Soil Atlas 2015 to help people visualize the “state of the soils.” Go to the Soil Atlas 2015 page and scroll down the right side to reach Soil Atlas Animated Graphics http://globalsoilweek.org/soilatlas-2015 and view them. Here is the infographic Soil Groups Around the World: http://tinyurl.com/soilgroupsworld Cite 2 statistics that are particularly alarming concerning the region of the world you currently inhabit:
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In order to learn more about the WRB soil order (taxon) you identified in your global location, you will be doing a bit of research. You are looking for enough information to compose THREE information-packed paragraphs about your soil order. Be sure to include information about what plants/crops grow well in that type of soil, and whether this vegetation is used or sold for commercial purposes.
For the rest, be selective; you cannot include every detail. Here are some resources that should suffice for our purposes, though you are welcome to review other scientifically credible sources (i.e., NOT Wikipedia): ➢ http://www.isric.org/about-soils/world-soil-distribution ➢ http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3794e.pdf (wait a minute for it to load, possible to download; go to p. 85 to find your specific soil order and page number. Also go to p. 144 and scroll orders in alphabetical order for more information) ➢ http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/edu/?cid=nrcs142p2_054278 (this is related to the USDA classification system, but scroll down for soil name meanings and pronunciations that are useful to WRB as well) Other resources based on the USDA classification system: ➢ http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/class/?cid=nrcs142p2_0535 88 each is clickable ➢ http://passel.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=1130447033&t opicorder=5&maxto=13
These paragraphs will go into the Lab Introduction in the designated section. Cite the Sources according to teacher instructions.
As you research, you may wish to listen to the soil song, provided for all to enjoy on the International Union of Soil Sciences website. ☺ http://tinyurl.com/isssoilsong
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