Knowra Soil survey Soil survey A soil survey systematically examines, describes, classifies, and maps the soils of an area. It records their distribution and properties to support land evaluation and management.
Soil profile : A vertical section of soil showing distinct layers, or horizons, from the surface downward. Surveyors describe profiles to identify the horizons and properties that distinguish mapped soils.
Soil classification : The organization of soils into groups based on shared properties and diagnostic features. Classification gives surveyors a consistent vocabulary for naming and comparing mapped soils.
Land capability classification : A system that groups land by its limitations and suitability for sustained agricultural use. Survey information supports ratings of erosion risk, wetness, and other cultivation limits.
Edmund Ruffin : An American agricultural reformer and soil scientist who studied soil fertility and promoted improved farming practices. His investigations helped establish systematic soil study in the United States.
Soil sampling : The collection of soil material from selected locations for examination or analysis. Sampling measures selected points, while a survey also interprets and maps soil distribution across an area.
Soil horizon : A layer in a soil profile with properties produced by soil-forming processes. Horizon boundaries and features help classify and map soil bodies.
Soil taxonomy : A hierarchical system for classifying soils using diagnostic horizons, properties, and other criteria. In the United States, this system supplies the formal classes used in survey descriptions.
Soil fertility : The capacity of soil to supply nutrients in forms that support plant growth. Mapped soil properties help estimate crop potential and identify management needs.
Milton Whitney : An American soil scientist who led early federal efforts to map and classify soils. As the first chief of the U.S. Bureau of Soils, he organized a national survey program.
Soil testing : The laboratory or field measurement of selected soil properties, such as nutrient levels or pH. Tests quantify particular properties; they do not by themselves classify and map soil bodies.
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