Principles and methods of a digital medium scale soil map creation of the Leningrad region

Abstract

Principles and methods of a digital medium scale soil map (DSM) creation of the Leningrad region, demonstrating the modern state of soil cover (SC) are told in this article. The base of the DSM creation of the Leningrad region are the following principles: reliability, historicity, data harmonization, complexity, a combination of genetic features and factors, modernity, openness, verification. A database to the DSM of the Leningrad region includes the information about soil diversity, resource potential of the SC, factors of soil cover’s differentiation (relief, vegetation, soil forming rocks, climate, anthropogenic activity), morphological construction and soil properties. A complexity GIS-project with different thematic maps and optical satellite data of the high spatial resolution is made. Soil diversity of the Leningrad region (more than 50 natural soil subtypes, 70 anthropogenically changed soil subtypes, about 100 soil combinations with natural soils, more than 200 soil combinations with anthropogenically changed and anthropogenic soils) are demonstrated on the DSM. A predominance of anthropogenic-changed over natural soils is determined. Soils with mixed material of soil horizons and soils with oxidized-gley horizons are wide spread and consist about 1/3 from the total amount of anthropogenically changed soils. Anthropogenically changed, and natural soil combinations with not soil formations consist of about 50 % of the total amount of soil combinations (SC). Different types of urbopedocombinations are dominated in the city territories. A digital soil map of the Leningrad region (1: 200 000 scale) is a scientific base for the regional policy’s development of the soil resources’ rational using.