Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Geopedology, a Tool for Soil-Geoform Pattern Analysis

  • Chapter
Geopedology

Abstract

The soilscape is the pedologic portion of the landscape. Soil scientists have examined it mainly within the field of soil landscape analysis, which traditionally regards a quantitative characterization of the spatial pattern and complexity of soil landscapes. Landscape ecology emphasizes the interaction between spatial pattern and ecological process, that is, the causes and consequences of spatial heterogeneity across a range of scales. The spatial component of the environment is crucial in any environmental analysis, and new approaches to soil patterns are necessary for appropriate landscape planning, management, and conservation. Therefore, the integration of landscape ecology fundamentals together with soil science principles can be helpful in this regard. This contribution deals with the principles of soilscape-pattern analysis complemented with the application of landscape ecology metrics. An example of the application of this type of analysis to the Jarama-Henares interfluve, central Spain, is presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Birkeland PW (1984) Geomorphology and soils. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Boettinger JL, Howell DW, Moore AC, Hartemink AE, Kienast-Brown S (2010) Digital soil mapping. Bridging research, environmental application, and operation. Springer, Dordrecht

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Buol SW, Hole FD, McCracken RJ (1973) Soil genesis and classification. Iowa State University Press, Ames

    Google Scholar 

  • Cain DH, Riitters K, Orvis K (1997) A multi-scale analysis of landscape statistics. Landsc Ecol 12:199–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corry RC (2005) Characterizing fine-scale patterns of alternative agricultural landscapes with landscape pattern indices. Landsc Ecol 20:591–608

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esfandiarpoor I, Salehi MH, Toomanian N, Mohammadi J, Poch RM (2009) The effect of survey density on the results of geopedological approach in soil mapping: a case study in the Borujen region, Central Iran. Catena 79:18–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esfandiarpoor I, Mohammadi J, Salehi MH, Toomanian N, Poch RM (2010) Assessing geopedological soil mapping approach by statistical and geostatistical methods: a case study in the Borujen region, Central Iran. Catena 82:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fahring L (2005) When is a landscape perspective important? In: Wiens JA, Moss M (eds) Issues and perspectives in landscape ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 3–10

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Forman RTT, Godron M (1986) Landscape ecology. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fridland VM (1965) Makeup of the soil cover. Sov Soil Sci 4:343–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Fridland VM (1974) Structure of the soil mantle. Geoderma 12:35–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fridland VM (1976) Pattern of the soil cover (Struktura pochvennogo pokrova, originally in Russian, 1972). Geographical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation, Jerusalem

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerrard J (1992) Soil geomorphology. An integration of pedology and geomorphology. Champman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gobin A, Campling P, Feyen J (2001) Soil-landscape modelling to quantify spatial variability of soil texture. Phys Chem Earth Part B: Hydrol Oceans Atmos 26:41–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodchild MF (2011) Scale in GIS: an overview. Geomorphology 130:5–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haines-Young R (2005) Landscape pattern: context and process. In: Wiens JA, Moss MR (eds) Issues and perspectives in landscape ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 103–111

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hengl T, Rossiter DG (2003) Supervised landform classification to enhance and replace photo-interpretation in semi-detailed soil survey. Soil Sci Soc Am J 67:1810–1822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hole FD (1978) An approach to landscape analysis with emphasis on soils. Geoderma 21:1–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hole FD, Campbell JB (1985) Soil landscape analysis. Rowman and Allanheld Publishers, Totowa

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson B (1992) The soil survey as paradigm-based science. Soil Sci Soc Am J 56:836–841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huggett RJ (1975) Soil landscape systems: a model of soil genesis. Geoderma 13:1–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huggett RJ (1995) Geoecology. An evolutionary approach. Routledge, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hupy CM, Schaetzl RJ, Messina JP, Hupy JP, Delamater P, Enander H, Hughey BD, Boehm R, Mitroka MJ, Fashoway MT (2004) Modeling the complexity of different, recently deglaciated soil landscapes as a function of map scale. Geoderma 123:115–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klink HJ, Potschin M, Tress B, Tress G, Volk M, Steinhardt U (2002) Landscape and landscape ecology. In: Bastian O, Steinhardt U (eds) Development and perspectives of landscape ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 1–47

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Krummel JR, Gardner RH, Sugihara G, O’Neill RV, Coleman PR (1987) Landscape patterns in a disturbed environment. Oikos 48:321–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin SA (1992) The problem of pattern and scale in ecology. Ecology 73:1943–1967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li XZ, He HS, Bu RC, Wen QC, Chang Y (2005) The adequacy of different landscape metrics for various landscape patterns. Pattern Recognit 38:2626–2638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McBratney AB, De Gruijter JJ, Brus DJ (1992) Spacial prediction and mapping of continuous soil classes. Geoderma 54:39–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McBratney AB, Santos MLM, Minasny B (2003) On digital soil mapping. Geoderma 117:3–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie NJ, Gessler PE, Ryan PJ, O’Connell DA (2000) The role of terrain analysis in soil mapping. In: Wilson JP, Gallant JC (eds) Terrain analysis: principles and applications. Wiley, New York, pp 245–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Medina A (1977) Evolución de los suelos en el valle del Henares. PhD thesis, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller BA, Schaetzl RJ (2014) The historical role of base maps in soil geography. Geoderma 230–231:329–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noss RF (1992) Issues of scale in conservation biology. In: Fieldler PL, Jain SK (eds) Conservation biology: the theory and practice of nature conservation, preservation, and management. Chapman & Hall, New York, pp 239–250

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Riitters K, O’Neill RV, Hunsaker CT, Wickham JD, Yankee DH (1995) A factor analysis of landscape pattern and structure metrics. Landsc Ecol 10:23–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossiter DG (2000) Methodology for soil resource inventories, Lecture notes. International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), Enschede

    Google Scholar 

  • Saldaña A (1997) Complexity of soils and soilscape patterns on the southern slopes of the Ayllón range, central Spain. A GIS-assisted modelling approach. International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), Enschede

    Google Scholar 

  • Saldaña A, Ibáñez JJ, Zinck JA (2011) Soilscape analysis at different scales using pattern indices in the Jarama–Henares interfluve and Henares River valley, central Spain. Geomorphology 135:284–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez PA, Ahamed S, Carré F, Hartemink AE, Hempel J, Huising J, Lagacherie P, McBratney AB, McKenzie NJ, Mendonça-Santos ML, Minasny B, Montanarella L, Okoth P, Palm CA, Sachs JD, Shepherd KD, Vågen TG, Vanlauwe B, Walsh MG, Winowiecki LA, Zhang G (2009) Digital soil map of the world. Science 325:680–681

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaetzl RJ (1986) Soilscape analysis of contrasting glacial terrains in Wisconsin. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 76:414–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scull P, Franklin J, Chadwick OA, McArthur D (2003) Predictive soil mapping: a review. Prog Phys Geogr 27:171–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scull P, Franklin J, Chadwick OA (2005) The application of classification tree analysis to soil type prediction in a desert landscape. Ecol Model 181:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG (1989) Landscape ecology: the effect of pattern on process. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 20:171–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG (1990) Spatial and temporal analysis of landscape pattern. Landsc Ecol 4:21–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG (2005) Landscape ecology: what is the state of the science? Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 36:319–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG, Gardner RH (1991) Quantitative methods in landscape ecology: an introduction. In: Turner MG, Gardner RH (eds) Quantitative methods in landscape ecology. Springer, New York, pp 3–14

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG, O’Neill RV, Gardner RH, Milne BT (1989) Effects of changing spatial scale on the analysis of landscape pattern. Landsc Ecol 3:153–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG, Gardner RH, O’Neill RV (2001) Landscape ecology in theory and practice. Pattern and process. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiens JA (1989) Spatial scaling in ecology. Funct Ecol 3:385–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiens JA, Addicott JF, Case TJ, Diamond J (1986) The importance of spatial and temporal scale in ecological investigations. In: Diamond J, Case TJ (eds) Community ecology. Harper & Row, New York, pp 145–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu JG (2004) Effects of changing scale on landscape pattern analysis: scaling relations. Landsc Ecol 19:125–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu JG (2013) Key concepts and research topics in landscape ecology revisited: 30 years after the Allerton Park workshop. Landsc Ecol 28:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu JG, Hobbs R (2002) Key issues and research priorities in landscape ecology: an idiosyncratic synthesis. Landsc Ecol 17:355–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yaalon DH (2000) Down to earth. Nature 407:301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao M, Rossiter DG, Li D, Zhao Y, Liu F (2014) Mapping soil organic matter in low-relief areas based on land surface diurnal temperature difference and a vegetation index. Ecol Indic 39:120–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu AX, Hudson B, Burt J, Lubich K, Simonson D (2001) Soil mapping using GIS, expert knowledge, and fuzzy logic. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:1463–1472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziadat FM (2005) Analyzing digital terrain attributes to predict soil attributes for a relatively large area. Soil Sci Soc Am J 69:1590–1599

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zinck JA (1988) Physiography and soils, Lecture notes. International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), Enschede

    Google Scholar 

  • Zinck JA (2013) Geopedology. Elements of geomorphology for soil and geohazard studies, ITC special lecture notes series. International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), Enschede

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was funded by projects CGL2010-18312 from CICYT of Spain and S2009AMB-1783-REMEDINAL-3 from the Madrid Autonomous Government. I am grateful to the reviewer for his useful suggestions that improved an earlier version of this contribution.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida – UD Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Ciencias Ambientales y Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

    A. Saldaña

Authors
  1. A. Saldaña
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Saldaña .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Joseph Alfred Zinck

  2. Institute of Environmental Studies, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Joseph Alfred Zinck  & Graciela Metternicht  & 

  3. Centro de Investigaciones en Geografía Ambiental (CIGA), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    Gerardo Bocco

  4. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT), Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Héctor Francisco Del Valle

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Saldaña, A. (2016). Geopedology, a Tool for Soil-Geoform Pattern Analysis. In: Zinck, J.A., Metternicht, G., Bocco, G., Del Valle, H.F. (eds) Geopedology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19159-1_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation