Africa GIS data

Silt content (2-50 micro meter) in g/100g (w%) at 6 standard depths predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Extractable aluminium content (Al measured by Mehlich 3) in mg/kg (fine earth) at 2 depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Clay content (0-2 micro meter) in g/100g (w%) at 6 standard depths predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

The Soil and Terrain database for Southern Africa (SOTERSAF version 1.0), at scale 1:2 million, include the spatial and soil attribute data for 8 Southern African countries. The SOTERSAF database was compiled using the existing soil information and following the SOTER methodology of the 1:1 million scale with respect to pedon attribute data storage. The data (SOTERSAF) were compiled in the framework of the ongoing activities of ISRIC, FAO and UNEP to update the world's baseline information on natural resources in SOTER.The project involved collaboration with national soil institutes from the countries in the region as well as individual experts.

Depth to bedrock (R horizon) in cm, to maximum 175 cm, predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Global Food Security-support Analysis Data (GFSAD) data product provides cropland extent data over the continent of Africa for nominal year 2015 at 30 meter resolution (GFSAD30AFCE). The monitoring of global cropland extent is critical for policymaking and provides important baseline data that are used in many agricultural cropland studies pertaining to water sustainability and food security. The GFSAD30AFCE data product uses two pixel-based supervised classifiers, Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM), and one object-oriented classifier, Recursive Hierarchical Image Segmentation (RHSEG). The classifiers retrieve cropland extent from a combination of Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Sentinel-2 MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) data and elevation derived from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Version 3 data products. Each GFSAD30AFCE GeoTIFF file contains a cropland extent layer that defines areas of cropland, non-cropland, and water bodies over a 10° by 10° area. Known Issues * Known issues, including constraints and limitations, are provided on page 20 of the ATBD.

Sum of exchangeable bases (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ measured in 1M NH4OAc buffered at pH 7 with part of the data converted from data measured according to Mehlich 3) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 6 depth intervals predicted using two Africa soil profiles datasets. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Soil organic carbon content (measured by either wet oxidation or dry combustion at 900 C) in g/kg (fine earth) at 6 standard depths predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Exchangeable potassium (K+; measured in 1M NH4OAc buffered at pH 7 with part of the data converted from data measured according to Mehlich 3) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 2 depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) predicted using two Africa soil profiles datasets. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Bulk density of the soil fine earth (measured by core method) in kg / cubic-meter (kg/m3) at 6 standard depths predicted using the Africa Soil Profiles Database (AfSP) v1.2. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

ISRIC World Soil Information is compiling legacy soil profile data of Sub Saharan Africa, as a project activity of the AfSIS project (Globally integrated Africa Soil Information Service). http://africasoils.net/services/data/soil-databases/ Africa Soil Profiles database, version. 1.0 (April 2012) identifies less than 15700 unique soil profiles inventoried from a wide variety of data sources. From the less than 14600 profiles that are geo-referenced, soil layer attribute data are available for less than 12500 and soil analytical data for less than 10000 profiles. The database includes, but is not limited, to the soil attributes specified by GlobalSoilMap.net. Soil attribute values are standardized according to e-SOTER conventions and validated according to routine rules. Odd values are flagged. The degree of validation, and associated reliability of the data, varies because reference soil profile data, that are previously and thoroughly validated, are compiled together with non-reference soil profile data of lesser inherent representativeness. Updated milestone versions of the dataset have been posted online and made available to the project serving as input to the soil property maps generated by AfSIS. The continuously growing dataset will also be made available through the World Soil Information Service upon continuation of the project activity. The version is released here is version 1.0., the latest version is 1.1.

Soil pH x 10 in H2O at 6 standard depths (to convert to pH values divide by 10) predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. Measurement units: NA. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Exchangeable acidity (H+Al measured in 1M KCl) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 6 standard depths predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Global Food Security-support Analysis Data (GFSAD) data product provides cropland extent data over North America for nominal year 2010 at 30 meter resolution (GFSAD30NACE). The monitoring of global cropland extent is critical for policymaking and provides important baseline data that are used in many agricultural cropland studies pertaining to water sustainability and food security. The GFSAD30NACE data product uses a combination of the pixel-based supervised classifier, Random Forest (RF), and the object-oriented classifier, Recursive Hierarchical Image Segmentation (RHSEG). The classifiers retrieve cropland extent from a combination of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data and elevation derived from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Version 3 data products. Each GFSAD30NACE GeoTIFF file contains a cropland extent layer that defines areas of cropland, non-cropland, and water bodies over a 10° by 10° area. Known Issues * Known issues, including constraints and limitations, are provided on page 39 of the ATBD.

Exchangeable magnesium (Mg2+ measured in 1M NH4OAc buffered at pH 7 with part of the data converted from data measured according to Mehlich 3) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 2 depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) predicted using two Africa soil profiles datasets. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Exchangeable sodium (Na+ measured in 1M NH4OAc buffered at pH 7 with part of the data converted from data measured according to Mehlich 3) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 2 depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) predicted using two Africa soil profiles datasets. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Total nitrogen (N) content in g/kg of the fine earth fraction in 2 depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) measured according to the analytical procedures of wet oxidation and predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Cation exchange capacity (CEC measured in 1 M NH4OAc buffered at pH 7) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 6 standard depth intervals predicted using the Africa Soil Profiles Database (AfSP) v1.2. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Exchangeable calcium (Ca2+; measured in 1M NH4OAc buffered at pH 7 with part of the data converted from data measured according to Mehlich 3) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at 2 depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) predicted using two Africa soil profiles datasets. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Exchangeable aluminium (Al3+ measured in 1M KCl solution) in cmolc/kg (fine earth) at two depth intervals (0-20 cm and 20-50 cm) predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Drainage classes, defined according to the Guidelines for Soil Description (FAO, 2006) predicted using the Africa Soil Profiles Database (AfSP) v1.2. LEGEND = 1:Very poor, 2:Poor, 3:Imperfect, 4:Moderate, 5:Well, 6:Somewhat excessive, 7:Excessive, 255:NODATA. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Volumetric coarse fragments content (estimated in the field) in v% (m3/100m3) at 6 standard depths predicted using the Africa Soil Profiles Database (AfSP) v1.2. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Textural class (defined according to USDA system) at 6 depth intervals derived from sand, silt and clay contents predicted using the Africa Soil Profiles Database (AfSP) v1.2. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6) Texture classes of the USDA system / triangle used in this map: code, name 1 clay 2 silty clay 3 sandy clay 4 clay loam 5 silty clayloam 6 sandy clay loam 7 loam 8 silty loam 9 sandy loam 10 silt 11 loamy sand 12 sand

Sand content (50-2000 micro meter) in g/100g (w%) at 6 standard depths predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

Total plant-available water holding capacity (mm) of the soil whole earth fraction (including coarse fragments), summed over rootable depth and the top 30 cm, mapped at 1km resolution

Electrical conductivity (measured in 1: x soil: water solution) in dS/m at 6 standard depths predicted using two sets of Africa soil profiles data. For details see published paper here below (Hengl T., G.B.M. Heuvelink, B. Kempen, J.G.B. Leenaars, M.G. Walsh, K.D. Shepherd, A. Sila, R.A. MacMillan, J. Mendes de Jesus, L.T. Desta, J.E. Tondoh, 2015. Mapping Soil Properties of Africa at 250 m Resolution: Random Forests Significantly Improve Current Predictions. PLoS ONE 10(6)

The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) GEOLST4KHR version 2 swath product provides per-pixel Land Surface Temperature (LST) with a spatial resolution of 4,000 meters (m). The product is produced daily in hourly increments using data acquired from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 8 and 10 through 17 satellites for the years 2000 through 2023. The GEOLST4KHR product provides LST values for both North and South America. The GEOLST4KHR data product utilizes the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Version 2 / Radiative Transfer for TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (MERRA-2/RTTOV) Single-Channel Emissivity-Combined ASTER and MODIS Emissivity over Land (CAMEL) algorithm. The GEOLST4KHR product provides layers for cloud mask, latitude, longitude, land surface temperature, and land surface temperature error. A low-resolution browse is also available showing land surface temperature as an RGB (red, green, blue) image in JPEG format.

Volumetric moisture content (v%) of the soil fine earth fraction at permanent wilting point (at h=15,000 cm or pF 4.2), aggregated over the Effective Root Zone Depth for Maize, mapped at 1km resolution

Extractable Zinc (Zn) content of the soil fine earth fraction in mg/100kg (pp100m) as measured according to the soil analytical procedure of Mehlich 3 and spatially predicted for 0-30 cm depth interval at 250 m spatial resolution across sub-Saharan Africa using Machine Learning (ensemble between random forest and gradient boosting) using soil data from the Africa Soil Profiles database (AfSP) compiled by AfSIS and recent soil data newly collected by AfSIS in partnership with EthioSIS (Ethiopia), GhaSIS (Ghana) and NiSIS (Nigeria as made possible by OCP Africa and IITA), combined with soil data as made available by Wageningen University and Research, IFDC, VitalSigns, University of California and the OneAcreFund. [Values M = mean value predicted]. For details see below for peer reviewed paper (T. Hengl, J.G.B. Leenaars, K.D. Shepherd, M.G. Walsh, G.B.M. Heuvelink, Tekalign Mamo, H. Tilahun, E. Berkhout, M. Cooper, E. Fegraus, I. Wheeler, N.A. Kwabena, 2017. Soil nutrient maps of Sub-Saharan Africa: assessment of soil nutrient content at 250 m spatial resolution using machine learning. Nutriënt Cycling in Agroecosystems 109(1): 77-102). Maps produced for the Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), funded by the Netherlands government, in collaboration with the AfSIS and the Vital Signs projects.

The Africa Soil Profiles Database, Version 1.1, is compiled by ISRIC - World Soil Information (World Data Center for Soils) as a project activity for the Globally integrated- Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) project (www.africasoils.net/data/legacyprofile). It replaces version 1.0. The Africa Soil Profiles Database is a compilation of georeferenced and standardised legacy soil profile data for Sub-Saharan Africa. Version 1.1 (March 2013) identifies 16,711 unique soil profiles inventoried from a wide variety of data sources and includes profile site and layer attribute data. Soil analytical data are available for 13,835 profiles of which 12,683 are georeferenced, including the attributes as specified by GlobalSoilMap.net. Soil attribute values are standardized according to SOTER conventions and are validated according to routine rules. Odd values are flagged. The degree of validation, and associated reliability of the data, varies because reference soil profile data, that are previously and thoroughly validated, are compiled together with non-reference soil profile data of lesser inherent representativeness.