http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership This presentation was made during the GSP/E-SOTER Global Soil Information workshop that took place at the FAO HQ, Rome , Italy from 20-23 March 2012. This presentation was made on the second day by Raimonds Kasparinskis, and it presents the Use of Geological Information for Soil Mapping. ©FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. Raimonds Kasparinskis
Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences,
University of Latvia
THE USE OF GEOLOGICAL
INFORMATION FOR
SOIL MAPPING

2. Problems of soil mapping in
boreal-nemoral zone
 High spatial diversity of soil cover
(according to genetic classification and
FAO WRB classification);
 Deficiency of information about the
genetic origin of geological deposits
and forming time influence on soil
distribution

3. Solutions / Hypothesis
 Soil diversity and its physical and
chemical properties in boreal-nemoral
zone are dependent mainly on soil
texture, that is determined by the
genetic origin of geological deposits
and forming time.
 These factors impacts also forest
stands distribution and development,
which, conversely influences topsoil
properties.

4. The Aim
Clarify the opportunities of the
application of geological information
for soil mapping according to FAO
WRB classification in boreal-nemoral
zone

5. Objectives of the study
What are the relationships of
the spatial distribution in
boreal-nemoral zone?
Soil groups and
prefix qualifiers
(FAO WRB);
Properties
(physical, chemical)
Quaternary
deposits;
Properties
(physical, chemical)
?

6. Raw data
In Latvia, from 2006 till 2010, under the
international project „Inventarization of forest
soils and assessment of forest biological
diversity „BioSoil”” of the Focus Forest
research programme (No.2152/2003) of the
International Co-operative Programme (ICP)
and the Europe first level forest monitoring,
investigations were carried out on 95 sampling
sites of ICP Forest monitoring and in 18
sampling sites within relatively poorly
represented regions of this monitoring in 2011.

7. The research of soil distribution

9. The Results of Generalized Linear Models
EOLIAN
sediments
BALTIC
ICE LAKE
sediments
GLACIO-
LACUSTRINE
deposits
GLACI-
GENIC
deposits
ORGANIC
deposits
GLACIO-
FLUVIAL
deposits
Statistically significant correlations (the level of significance p<0.005)

10. The Results of Generalized Linear Models
The use of prefix qualifiers of soil groups
(Example of Arenosols)
Albic RubicFerralicEndogleyic Hypoferralic
EOLIAN
sediments
BALTIC ICE LAKE
sediments
GLACIOLACUSTRINE
deposits
GLACIOFLUVIAL
deposits
Statistically significant correlations (the level of significance p<0.005)

11. The Results of Generalized Linear Models
The use of prefix qualifiers of soil groups
(Example of Podzols)
AlbicHistic Endogleyic
EOLIAN
sediments
BALTIC ICE LAKE
sediments
GLACIOLACUSTRINE
deposits
GLACIOFLUVIAL
deposits
Statistically significant correlations (the level of significance p<0.005)

12. The Results of physical and chemical
properties in Principal Component Analysis
(mineral soil 0-10 cm depth)

13. The Results of physical and chemical
properties in Principal Component Analysis
(mineral soil 0-10 cm depth)

14. The Results of physical and chemical
properties in Principal Component Analysis
(mineral soil 40-80 cm depth)

15. The Results of physical and chemical
properties in Principal Component Analysis
(mineral soil 40-80 cm depth)

16. Conclusions / Solutions
 Quaternary deposits and their composition is one
of the main factors, determining the spatial
distribution of soil groups (FAO WRB) and
physical and chemical properties.
 The usage of the prefix qualifier of soil groups in
data processing enabled us to define more
precisely the significant relationships between
some particular distribution of Quaternary
deposits and soils.

17. Conclusions / Solutions
 Determining the existing relationships facilitates
the future mapping of the boreo-nemorial region
soils that have formed mainly on the Late
Weichselian Glacial deposits, altered by
postglacial aeolian, marine, lacustrine, alluvial
and mire sediments on a regional scale of 1:50000.
 Taking geological contours as a basis, it is possible
to single out soil group associations in soil
mapping, although it is difficult to single out
separate soil groups.

18. Conclusions / Solutions
 In perspective, it would be necessary to continue
studies, clarifying the strengths and weaknesses of
the FAO WRB soil classification and its
application in the research of boreal-nemoral
forest zone.

19. Publication
Kasparinskis R., Nikodemus O., 2012. Influence
of environmental factors on the spatial
distribution and diversity of forest soil in Latvia.
Estonian Journal of Earth Sciences 61: 48-64.
doi: 10.3176/earth.2012.1.04

20. Thank You !
Raimonds.Kasparinskis@lu.lv