Soil and Terrain Database for Central and Eastern Europe (SOVEUR), version 1.1

This harmonized set of soil parameter estimates for Central and Eastern Europe has been derived from a revised version of the 1:2.5M Soil and Terrain (SOTER) Database for Central and Eastern Europe (SOVEUR ver. 1.1) and the ISRIC-WISE soil profile database. The land surface of Central and Eastern Europe, West of the Ural Mountains, has been characterized using 8361 unique maps or SOTER units. The corresponding GIS files include some 9500 mapped polygons, including miscellaneous units. The major soils have been described using 662 profiles, selected by national soil experts as being representative for these units. The associated soil analytical data have been derived from soil survey reports. These sources seldom hold all the physical and chemical attributes ideally required by SOTER. Gaps in the measured soil profile data have been filled using a procedure that uses taxotransfer rules, based on about 9600 soil profiles held in the WISE database, complemented with expert-rules. Parameter estimates are presented by soil unit for fixed depth intervals of 0.2 m to 1 m depth for: organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH(H2O), CECsoil, CECclay, base saturation, effective CEC, aluminium saturation, CaCO3 content, gypsum content, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), electrical conductivity of saturated paste (ECe), bulk density, content of sand, silt and clay, content of coarse fragments (less than 2 mm), and available water capacity (-33 to -1500 kPa). These attributes have been identified as being useful for agro-ecological zoning, land evaluation, crop growth simulation, modelling of soil carbon stocks and change, and analyses of global environmental change. The current parameter estimates should be seen as best estimates based on the current selection of soil profiles and data clustering procedure; taxotransfer rules have been flagged to provide an indication of the confidence in the derived data. Results are presented as summary files and can be linked to the 1:2.5M scale SOVEUR map in a GIS, through the unique SOTER-unit code. The secondary data are considered appropriate for studies at the continental scale (greater than 1:2.5 million); correlation of soil analytical data should be done more rigorously when more detailed scientific work is considered.

This harmonized set of soil parameter estimates for Central and Eastern Europe has been derived from a revised version of the 1:2.5M Soil and Terrain (SOTER) Database for Central and Eastern Europe (SOVEUR ver. 1.1) and the ISRIC-WISE soil profile database. The land surface of Central and Eastern Europe, West of the Ural Mountains, has been characterized using 8361 unique maps or SOTER units. The corresponding GIS files include some 9500 mapped polygons, including miscellaneous units. The major soils have been described using 662 profiles, selected by national soil experts as being representative for these units. The associated soil analytical data have been derived from soil survey reports. These sources seldom hold all the physical and chemical attributes ideally required by SOTER. Gaps in the measured soil profile data have been filled using a procedure that uses taxotransfer rules, based on about 9600 soil profiles held in the WISE database, complemented with expert-rules. Parameter estimates are presented by soil unit for fixed depth intervals of 0.2 m to 1 m depth for: organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH(H2O), CECsoil, CECclay, base saturation, effective CEC, aluminium saturation, CaCO3 content, gypsum content, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), electrical conductivity of saturated paste (ECe), bulk density, content of sand, silt and clay, content of coarse fragments (less than 2 mm), and available water capacity (-33 to -1500 kPa). These attributes have been identified as being useful for agro-ecological zoning, land evaluation, crop growth simulation, modelling of soil carbon stocks and change, and analyses of global environmental change. The current parameter estimates should be seen as best estimates based on the current selection of soil profiles and data clustering procedure; taxotransfer rules have been flagged to provide an indication of the confidence in the derived data. Results are presented as summary files and can be linked to the 1:2.5M scale SOVEUR map in a GIS, through the unique SOTER-unit code. The secondary data are considered appropriate for studies at the continental scale (greater than1:2.5 million); correlation of soil analytical data should be done more rigorously when more detailed scientific work is considered.

The Soil and Terrain database for South Africa primary data (version 1.0), at scale 1:1 million (SOTER_South_Africa), was compiled of enhanced soil information within the framework of the FAO's program Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA). Primary soil and terrain data for South Africa were obtained from the SOTERSAF database (ver. 1) at scale 1:2 million. This version of SOTER_South_Africa includes some changes in the GIS file, based on the SRTM-DEM derived data and a changes of the attributes database. SOTER forms a part of the ongoing activities of ISRIC, FAO and UNEP to update the world's baseline information on natural resources.The project involved collaboration with national soil institutes from the countries in the region as well as individual experts.

The Soil and Terrain database for Cuba primary data (version 1.0), at scale 1:1 million (SOTER_Cuba), was compiled of enhanced soil informtion within the framework of the FAO's program Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA). Primary soil and terrain data for Cuba were obtained from the SOTERLAC database (ver. 2) at scale 1:5 million. This update includes changes in the GIS file, based on the SRTM-DEM derived surface information and supplementary attributes data changes of the pedon database. SOTER forms a part of the ongoing activities of ISRIC, FAO and UNEP to update the world's baseline information on natural resources.The project involved collaboration with national soil institutes from the countries in the region as well as individual experts.

The Soil and Terrain database for China primary data (version 1.0), at scale 1:1 million (SOTER_China), was compiled of enhanced soil information within the framework of the FAO's program of Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA). The primary database was compiled using the SOTER methodology. The SOTER unit delineation was based on a raster format of the soil map of China, correlated and converted to FAO’s Revised Legend (1988), in combination with a SOTER landform characterization derived from Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) 90 m digital elevation model (DEM). Reference profiles for the dominant soil of the SOTER units has been directly linked to the polygons. SOTER forms a part of the ongoing activities of ISRIC, FAO and UNEP to update the world's baseline information on natural resources.The project involved collaboration with national soil institutes from the countries in the region as well as individual experts.

The Soil and Terrain database for Tunisia primary data (version 1.0), at scale 1:1 million (SOTER_Tunisia), was compiled of enhanced soil information within the framework of the FAO's program of Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA). A SOTER database was compiled based on the digital soil map of Tunisia. The primary soil and terrain data for Tunisia has been selected from available survey reports and publications. A SRTM-DEM was used to adjust some unit boundaries in the GIS file. SOTER forms a part of the ongoing activities of ISRIC, FAO and UNEP to update the world's baseline information on natural resources.The project involved collaboration with national soil institutes from the countries in the region as well as individual experts.