title: A GIS based method for soil mapping in Sardinia, Italy: a geomatic approach.
abstract: A new project was recently initiated for the realization of the "Land Unit and Soil Capability Map of Sardinia" at a scale of 1:50,000 to support land use planning. In this study, we outline the general structure of the project and the methods used in the activities that have been thus far conducted. A GIS approach was used. We used the soil-landscape paradigm for the prediction of soil classes and their spatial distribution or the prediction of soil properties based on landscape features. The work is divided into two main phases. In the first phase, the available digital data on land cover, geology and topography were processed and classified according to their influence on weathering processes and soil properties. The methods used in the interpretation are based on consolidated and generalized knowledge about the influence of geology, topography and land cover on soil properties. The existing soil data (areal and point data) were collected, reviewed, validated and standardized according to international and national guidelines. Point data considered to be usable were input into a specific database created for the project. Using expert interpretation, all digital data were merged to produce a first draft of the Land Unit Map. During the second phase, this map will be implemented with the existing soil data and verified in the field if also needed with new soil data collection, and the final Land Unit Map will be produced. The Land Unit and Soil Capability Map will be produced by classifying the land units using a reference matching table of land capability classes created for this project.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127 Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: avacca@unica.it.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Vacca
authors: Agenzia AGRIS Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Loddo
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Melis
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Funedda
authors: Agenzia AGRIS Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Puddu
authors: Agenzia AGRIS Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Verona
authors: Agenzia AGRIS Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Fanni
authors: Agenzia LAORE Sardegna, Via Caprera 8, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Fantola
authors: Dipartimento di Ingegneria del Territorio, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Italia 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Madrau
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: V A
authors: VA
authors: Marrone
authors: Agenzia AGRIS Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Serra
authors: Agenzia LAORE Sardegna, Via Caprera 8, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Tore
authors: Agenzia AGRIS Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Manca
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Pasci
authors: Agenzia LAORE Sardegna, Via Caprera 8, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Puddu
authors: Agenzia LAORE Sardegna, Via Caprera 8, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Schirru
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D007558:Italy; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Geodatabase; Land capability; Land use planning; Soil database; Soil map; Soil survey