A workshop in support of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection
Common Criteria for Risk Area Identification in the Soil Framework Directive
BGR, Hannover, 25 April 2007
The WRB
(World Reference Base for Soil Resources)
A tool for
unifying soil information and
identification, delineation risk areas
Workshop on Common Criteria for Risk Area Identification in
the Soil Framework Directive, BGR, Hannover, 25 April 2007
A workshop in support of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection
Common Criteria for Risk Area Identification in the Soil Framework Directive
BGR, Hannover, 25 April 2007
Erika Michéli, Otto Spaargaren
International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)
Commission Soil Classification
Working Group WRB
A workshop in support of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection
Common Criteria for Risk Area Identification in the Soil Framework Directive
BGR, Hannover, 25 April 2007
Outline
Short introduction of WRB („WRB light”)
How it can serves as a tool for
- unifying soil information
- identification /delineation risk areas
Workshop on Common Criteria for Risk Area Identification in
the Soil Framework Directive, BGR, Hannover, 25 April 2007
The WRB
World Reference Base for Soil Resource
A framework for international
classification
correlation
and communication
In 1998 the International Union of Soil
Sciences endorsed the WRB as the
official soil correlation system for all soil
scientists.
The JRC and ESBN selected the WRB
as correlation scheme for harmonized
soil maps and databases for Europe.
Was presented
in Philadelphia
2006
Has been translated already into:
German, Hungarian, Russian,
Chinese, Azerbaijan, Spanish,
French, Arabic, Latvian
It was thought through the
European Summer Schools
on Soil Survey
Available online
Basic principles
The classification of soils is based on
soil properties defined in terms of
diagnostic horizons
properties
materials
Basic principles
It comprises two tiers of categorical detail:
Reference Soil Groups (RSGs)
The 32 RSGs are determined by key and
serve to delineate the broad soil regions.
Set of prefix and suffix qualifiers
that are giving a precise description on
important properties and are added to the
name of the RSGs.
Diagnostics
Folic horizon
Albic Horizon
Spodic horizon
Reducing conditions
Stagnic colour patterns
Abrupt textural change
Folic horizon (from Latin folium, leaf)
consists of well-aerated organic material
Defined SOM % content, and thickness
Diagnostics
Folic horizon
Albic Horizon
Spodic horizon
Reducing conditions
Stagnic colour patterns
Abrupt textural change
First level:
Reference Soil Groups, defined by key
Soils having a spodic horizon
starting within 200 cm of the mineral
soil surface
→ PODZOLS
Second level - the qualifiers
added to the name of the RSGs,
carrying information on important soil properties
such as
association to other RSG, hydrology, chemistry, texture…
The qualifiers
Prefix qualifiers
Placic
Ortsteinic
Carbic
Rustic
Entic
Albic
Folic
Histic
Technic
Hyperskeletic
Leptic
Gleyic
Vitric
Andic
Stagnic
Umbric
Haplic
RSG
Podzols
Suffix qualifiers
Hortic
Plaggic
Terric
Anthric
Ornithic
Fragic
Ruptic
Turbic
Gelic
Oxyaquic
Lamellic
Skeletic
Drainic
Novic
Stagnic Folic Albic Podzol (Bathy-Ruptic)
Second level - the qualifiers
added to the name of the RSGs,
carrying information on important properties
Qualifiers are mostly quantitative and are generalized for
different layers of the soil bodies.
sample / single value
Second level - the qualifiers
added to the name of the RSGs,
carrying information on important properties
Qualifiers are mostly quantitative and are generalized for
different layers of the soil bodies.
50 cm
50 cm
That can be stored as attribute data of the STU
Definition Soil Typological Unit = Table
STU
n°
Horizon
n°
Carbon content
Mode
1
1
2
2
1
3
1
3
Q1
Q5
Texture
…
Mode
2nd
tex
… …
Soil classification
WRB
The WRB
World Reference Base for Soil Resources
A tool for
unifying soil information
identification, delineation risk areas
Soils are very different
A tool for unifying soil information
Csernozjom (H)
Cernice (Cz)
Schwarzerde (D)
Mollic horizon
Mollic horizon
Mollic horizon
Calcic horizon
Calcic horizon
Calcic horizon
Chernozems
Mollisol (USA)
Mollic horizon
Calcic horizon
Calcic Vermic Chernozem (Siltic)
Calcic - presence of secondary carbonates
Vermic - high biological activity
Siltic - having silt or silty texture
Calcic Chernozem (Siltic)
Calcic - presence of secondary carbonates
Siltic - having silt or silty texture
Calcic Endosalic Endogelyic Chernozem (Siltic)
Calcic - presence of secondary carbonates
Endosalic - soluble salts in greater depth
Endogelyic- groundwater influence
Siltic - having silt or silty texture
Calcic Chernozem (Pachic, Siltic)
Calcic - presence of secondary carbonates
Pachic – super deep organic matter rich horizon
Siltic - having silt or silty texture
A tool for delineation of risk area of threats
Example on salinization
Salinization
Salt Content - Electric conductivity EC
Salic horizon ECe ≥ 15 dS m-1 (or 8 dS m-1, if pH > 8,5
Hypersalic (hs) - ECe ≥ 30 dS m-1 (within 100 cm)
Hyposalic (ws) - ECe ≥ 4 dS m-1 (within 100 cm)
Petrosalic (ps) cemented by salts (within 100 cm)
Salinization
Salt Profile
Epi (..p) - starting within 50 cm of the soil surface.
Endo (..n) - starting between 50 and 100 cm
Bathy (..d) starting between 100 and 200 cm
Salinization
Chemistry (salt composition)
Sodic
Chloridic
Sulphatic
Carbonatic
Epigleyic Hypersalic Solonchak Endosalic Endogelyic Chernozem
(Siltic)
(Sodic, Carbonatic, Siltic)
Risk for
Secondary Salinization
• Irrigated -- in the data base
• Soluble salts close to the surface
• Shallow ground water table OR perched water
– Gleyic (epi, endo)
– Stagnic (epi, endo)
Salinization (content)
1 ha
Petro
Hyper
Salic
Hypo
Salinization (content + depth)
Petro
Hyper
Salic
Hypo
Epi
Endo
Bathy
Salinization (content
+ depth+ hydrology)
Salinization
Petro
ES ES
EG NG
ES ES ES ES
Hyper
NG
Salic
ES ES
Hypo
EG EG
EG
EG EG
NG NG
Epi
EG
ES
NS NS
Endo
Bathy
S
EG NG
ES
EG
NS
EG
NG
Epistagnic
Endostagnic
EpiGlyeic
EndoGleyic
Salinization (content
+ depth+ hydrology)
Salinization
Petro
ES ES
EG NG
ES ES ES ES
Hyper
NG
Salic
ES ES
Hypo
EG
EG
EG EG
NG NG
Epi
EG
ES
NS NS
Endo
Bathy
S
EG NG
ES
EG
NS
EG
NG
Epistagnic
Endostagnic
EpiGlyeic
EndoGleyic
Epigleyic Hypersalic Solonchak
(Sodic, Carbonatic, Siltic)
Salinization (content
+ depth+ hydrology)
Salinization
Petro
ES ES
EG NG
ES ES ES ES
Hyper
NG
Salic
ES ES
Hypo
irrigated
EG
EG
EG EG
NG NG
Epi
EG
ES
NS NS
Endo
Bathy
S
EG NG
ES
EG
NS
EG
NG
Epistagnic
Endostagnic
EpiGlyeic
EndoGleyic
Risk areas for
Secondary Salinization
Salinization
1ha
Petro
ES ES
R
R
ES ES ES ES
Hyper
NG
Salic
ES ES
Hypo
irrigated
R
EG
EG
R
EG
NG NG
Epi
R
NS NS
Endo
Bathy
R
EG NG
ES
EG
NS
EG
NG
Epistagnic
Endostagnic
EpiGlyeic
EndoGleyic
Thank you!
Workshop on Common Criteria for Risk Area Identification in
the Soil Framework Directive, BGR, Hannover, 25 April 2007
WRB
Mollic horizon
Natric horizon
Reduced
conditions
Soil Taxonomy
Ap
Btn
Cr
Solonetz
Mollic
Gleyic
Mollic Gleyic Solonetz
Mollic epipedon Ap
Btn
Natric horizon
Aquic moisture Cr
regime
Mollisol
Aquoll
Natraquoll
Natraquoll
WRB
Mollic horizon
Natric horizon
Reduced
conditions
IF
Soil Taxonomy
=
=
=
Mollic epipedon
Mollic Gleyic Solonetz
Natric horizon
Aquic moisture
regime
Natraquoll