Collecting And Interpreting Soil And Physiographic .
Collecting and Interpreting Soiland Physiographic Informationfor Ecological Site DescriptionsJustin ClaryRangeland Management SpecialistUSDA-NRCSTexas State OfficeThe USDA is an equal opportunityprovider and employer.
IntroductionEcological Site Descriptions (ESDs) are developed by the NaturalResources Conservation Service and contain four major components: Site Characteristics – Identifies the site and describes thephysiographic, climate, soil, and water features associated withthe site. Plant Communities – Describes the ecological dynamics andthe common plant communities comprising the variousvegetation states of site. Site Interpretations – Interpretive information pertinent to theuse and management of the site and related resources. Supporting Information – Provides information on sources ofinformation and data utilized in developing the site descriptionand relationship with other sites.
Where can Soil and Physiographic Informationbe found?There are several databases available (in-house and public) wheresoil and physiographic information can be obtained: National Soil Information System (NASIS) – in house Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSDs) - public Soil Data Mart - public Soil Data Viewer – public Web Soil Survey - public
National Soil Information System (NASIS)NASIS consists of multiple interrelated soil applications and databases.This data system aids in the collection, storage, manipulation anddissemination of soil information.Choosing specificNational and Localdatabase queries andreports will allow the userto obtain soil informationto be used in the soilsections of the ESDs.
NASIS Client Version No. 6.0.0 Screen
National Soil Information System (NASIS) –ESDs Soil Reports
National Soil Information System (NASIS) –ESDs Soil Reports
Example MLRA01 Office Report – ESD Data 1B
Suitable Soil Section Reports for ESD Development
End Products using NASIS Excel SpreadsheetsHistograms from Pivot TablesESD Status MapsPie Charts
Advantages and Disadvantages of NASISAdvantages Can create user friendly reports in Excel or Access format Tables can be sorted, pivot tables and histograms can be createdusing Excel spreadsheets.Disadvantages Limited to use only by USDA government employees Dashes located in various reports may not represent “0”. Dashescould indicate that the information is NULL or not populated. Some data entered in NASIS may be incorrect in reports due totypographical errors or errors in report design. Sometimes queries can give you incomplete data. Check thetarget tables and know your selected set. Ensure that the reports can be validated and give out correctinformation.
Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSDs)The Official Soil Series Description is the descriptionapproved by the NRCS that defines a specific soil series inthe United States.They mainly serve as standard specifications for identifyingand classifying soils.The descriptions contain soil properties that define the soilseries, distinguish it from other soil series, serve as the basisfor the placement of that soil series in the soil family, andprovide a record of soil properties used in soil interpretations.
Official Soil Series Descriptions asp
Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSDs)Provides information in both ViewDescription and View Extent Map.
Advantages and Disadvantages of OSDsAdvantages of OSDs: Can copy and paste narratives of OSDs to fit into narratives ofphysiographic features and representative soil feature sections ofESD. Can locate the soil survey areas of where the soil series arecurrently correlated by using View Map Extent.Disadvantages of OSDs: The user would have to look at the dominant soil series for theecological sites to collect information for the soil propertiesparameters for the ESD as there may be more than one soil seriescorrelated for the ecological site.
Soil Data Mart and Web Soil Survey Provides points of delivery for official soil survey data andinformation Tabular data, including interpretations Digitized spatial data (SSURGO & STATSGO)- soil map units where available- soil survey area boundaries Partial Soil Survey Area (SSA) or whole SSA
Soil Data Mart and Web Soil Survey Contains only the “current” version of official data Web accessible: http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/ Generate standard reports by selected map units, orwhole SSA Available for the public to view and use as well asUSDA employees
Soil Data MartSelect State Survey Area Generate Reports Highlight MapUnit Symbol(s) you want data on.PDF formatApplicable Soils ReportsChemical Soil PropertiesMap Unit Descriptions (brief)Physical Soil PropertiesRangeland ProductivityRangeland Productivity and Spec.Comp.Water Features
Advantages and Disadvantages of SDMAdvantages of SDM: Can be used by both federal agencies and the public. Soils reports can be easily obtained and the soil sections filled outin ESD document.Disadvantages of SDM: The user has to locate available soil surveys and associated mapunit symbols for a particular ecological site. The use of SDM might be more time consuming due to manuallyhaving to go through every SSA and their associated reports, whichcould take hours. Information may not be correct due to changes made since theprevious update.
Soil Data Viewer Soil Data Viewer is a tool built as an extension to ArcMap thatallows a user to create soil-based maps. Soil Data Viewer provides users access to soil interpretationsand soil properties. Soil Data Viewer makes it easy to compute a single value for amap unit and display results. Soil Data Viewer can be used on areas larger than Web SoilSurvey can handle. http://soils.usda.gov/sdv/
Soil Data ViewerInstead of Selecting Generate Reports as for using Soil Data Mart,the user selects Download Data.
Soil Data ViewerAfter a few moments, an e-mail is generated from Soil Data Mart. Clickon the blue hyperlink web link. It will bring up a text box containinginformation about the survey the user is interested in.
Highlight folder soil tx331 and click on Extract.Another screen appears.Save the zip fileand then locate thefolder that youwish to place thefiles and click onExtract.
Soil Data ViewerDouble click on tabular folder.Then copy the tabular address.
Soil Data ViewerPaste the tabular address intothe heading and click Ok.
Soil Data ViewerThe county and theassociated mapunits are shown.
Soil Data ViewerClick on Add Data. Go tofolder where spatial data forCounty selected is stored.Select soilmu a tx331shapefile. Click Add.
Soil Data ViewerRight click your mouse button over the tool bar. Select Soil DataViewer extension. Click on the extension. The “Please select a soilmap layer” screen Appears. Click on OK.
Soil Data ViewerThe Soil Data Viewer – Arc Map appears. Select a specific attributethat you wish to find information on (i.e. ecological site ID, slope,parent material). Click on Map.
Soil Data ViewerAll of the ecological site IDs that have been identified are color codedunder Layers.
Soil Data ViewerThe user can also use the Identify button () and highlight a specificpolygon they need identified. The fields and values are shown for thehighlighted polygon.
Soil Data ViewerThe user can also select Map Unit Desc. Report to get the soilreport for the entire county or selected soil map units.
Soil Data ViewerMultiple CountiesThe user can also link surrounding counties using the same protocol inorder to get range of information desired.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Soil DataViewerAdvantages of using Soil Data Viewer: Both Public and Federal agencies can use the SDV Polygons of assigned Ecological Sites can be selected and viewedin order to develop soil reports. Developed reports from SDV are similar to NASIS and SDM.Disadvantages of using Soil Data Viewer: Process takes longer due to more steps required to get to reportssection of the SDV. Arc GIS/Arc Map software is necessary in order for SDV to runproperly. Soils information may not be current since the last update to SoilData Mart.
Summary Various resources and databases are available tocomplete soil sections of ESDs. The user has the upper hand in selecting thedatabase desired to obtain soil information. These soil database resources that were discussedhave been used to develop approximately 300approved Texas ESDs already posted in ESISlocated in the USDA Plants Database website.
AnyAnyQuestions?Questions?
Justin Clary Rangeland Management Specialist. USDA-NRCS. Texas State Office. The USDA is an equal opportunity . use and management of the site and related resources. Supporting Information . in Characteristics section in the report gives the range of different soil properties that can\ഠbe placed
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