Soil maps of the Emilia-Romagna
An interactive WebGis site where it’s possible to view and query soil maps of Emilia-Romagna region. To view the website pop-up blocker has to be disabled
Introduction
Regional soil mapping project is aimed at an inventory of the “SOIL” both as a natural body and as a resource. This inventory illustrates soil characteristics, structure, origin and the relationships with other environmental components: climate, vegetation, geology, geomorphology and anthropic influence.
This project started in the middle of the 70s as a support of land planning and it has produced maps at different scales (from 1:10k to 250k).
During the years data collection methods have been specified by a Field Book (2002 last edition) and the definition and construction of a Soil Information System. Regional Catalogs of Soil Typological Units and Soil Mapping Units have been created.
In this WebGis site it’s possible to view and query soil maps and some derived thematic maps by an integrated approach. Other thematic maps are also available (e.g. geological maps or land cover maps). The website is in Italian language but a simple short Guidebook on soil webgis is available in english.
Soil maps
Soil Map at 1:50,000 scale and soil benchmark sites
1:50k Soil Map covers the 71% of the regional surface (alluvial plain, hills and some part of mountain areas). Each polygon (delineation) of the map is identified by a unique numerical ID. In every delineation morphology, land use, percentage, distribution and location of the soil typological units are described.
A local benchmark site is linked to each type of soil in each polygon: users can view and download chemical and physical analyses. Polygons with similar soil distribution form a Mapping Unit. Clicking the button “Soil” enables to query each polygon and to surf to description of mapping units, soil typological units and representative profiles.
The present version is the fourth approximation of the soil map for the plain area and the first/second one for the hill area. Previous editions have been published in 1992, 1998, 2005, 2012, 2015 and 2018. This map is based on field surveys projects carried out between 1980 and 2017.
Heavy metal point inventory
This a point layer and it groups analyzed soil samples (heavy metals content with ICP-MS method) at depth 20-30 cm.
Extension Service soil analyses
This is a point layer and it refers to chemical and physical analysis (sand, silt, clay, pH, total carbonate, active carbonate, organic content, available K, available P, total N) of soil samples (mostly on superficial horizons).
Heavy metal background maps at 1:250,000 scale
The heavy metal background map represents the concentration of 9 metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, Sn and V) in the topsoil of cultivated soils. By a Scorpan Kriging approach the trend of metal concentrations, as derived from the 1:50,000 soil map, have been combined with geostatistical modeling of the stochastic, locally varying but spatially correlated component. The upper limit of the “usual” background value defined for topsoil samples follows the ISO international standards (ISO/DIS 19528). The background maps are available only in the alluvial plain area.
Shallow Water Table Measurement Sites
This is a point layer and it groups 179 measurement sites of the shallow water table (0-3 m) in the whole plain of Emilia-Romagna region. Data of the water depth are collected about every 10 days.
Pedo-geochemical maps at 1:250,000 scale
This maps represents the pedogeochemical content according to the ISO international standard (ISO/DIS 19258, 2005) of six heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Pb and V) in cultivated soil subsoil (90-140 cm depth, 60-80 cm for gravelly soils). It is assumed that at this depth anthropic contribution doesn’t affect soil characters. The pedo-geochemical maps are available only in the alluvial plain area.
Soil Texture map at 1:50,000 scale
This map is available for 0-30 cm depth in the plain area. It’s the result of statistical and geostatistical analysis that, from point values, take into account the distribution of soils in the landscape and the belonging to different river basins. It is a vector tiles layer, with cells 500m x 500m wide.
To each cell is assigned a percent value of sand, silt, clay, skeleton and the USDA textural class. Each parameter is accompanied by an assessment of the reliability of the estimated value .
Percentage Organic Carbon Content 0-30 cm layer
The maps of the percentage organic carbon content in the 0-30 cm layer are available in both plain (1:50k scale) and in the mountain (1:250k scale). They are the result of statistical and geostatistical analysis that, from point values, take into account the distribution of soils in the landscape and the influence that the agricultural management practices on the organic matter accumulation.
Land capability at 1:50,000 scale
Land capability classification is a system of grouping soils primarily on the basis of their capability to produce common cultivated crops and pasture plants without deteriorating over a long period of time (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. National soil survey handbook). Land capability map is based on 1:50k Soil map (2005 edition). For each delineation , according to the specific proportion of major soil components, the assessment table SINA 2000 provides general guidance for assignments of the class and subclass and for describing limiting factors for the use of the soil.
Organic carbon stock 0-30 cm layer
The maps of the Organic Carbon stock (Mg/ha) layer are available in both plain (1:50k scale) and in the mountain (1:250k scale). The evaluated values consider different soil types distribution and the effect of the “not-soils bodies ” (e.g. deep water, buildings and infrastructures land cover).
Salinity Map at 1:250,000 scale
This layer is available for 0-50 cm and 50-100 cm depths. A geo-statistical approach has been used to create these maps. This is a first/second approximation: availability of more analytical data will improve quality and reliability of the estimated values.
Land capability at 1:50,000 scale
Land capability classification is a system of grouping soils primarily on the basis of their capability to produce common cultivated crops and pasture plants without deteriorating over a long period of time (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. National soil survey handbook). Land capability map is based on 1:50k Soil map (2005 edition). For each delineation , according to the specific proportion of major soil components, the assessment table SINA 2000 provides general guidance for assignments of the class and subclass and for describing limiting factors for the use of the soil.
Ksat map at 1:50,000 scale
The map describes the areal distribution in the plain of Ksat soil classes according to the Soil Survey Manual scheme, 1993 through the polygons of the soil map at 1:50,000 scale. For each polygon the weighted average value of Ksat has been calculated on the basis of the percentage diffusion of the soils present in it.
Hydrologic Soil Group Map at 1:50.000 scale
This map shows the distribution of Hydrologic Soil Groups (USDA-NRCS methodology, 2009) by 1:50k Soil Map polygons. Each polygon represents the main HSG.
Other thematic maps
Land cover maps
Land Cover is a thematic map that represents the land use. It describes, for example, buildings, crops, forests, orchards, superficial waters and so on. Land cover maps for the entire region are available for the years 1954, 1976, 1994, 2003 and 2008. Only for the coastal area maps are also available for the years 1982, 2000 e 2005.
Geognostic Test database
The Geognostic Database (point data: cone penetration tests, wells, drills) covers the whole regional territory of the plain and part of the hills. Most of the data comes from public and private archives, collected in the course of various surveys. The Database is an ongoing project, undergoing constant expansion; as well as acquiring new geognostic tests carried out as a result of major infrastructure projects in the region, the Geological, Seismic and Soil Survey itself carries out continuous core drillings and penetrometric tests across those areas currently being studied for the Geological Map of the plain.
Geological map at 1:10,000 scale
The Geological Map at scale 1:10.000 is the product of reviews and updates carried out by the Geological, Seismic and Soil Survey from 2003 on both quaternary cover (as part of various projects, including the IFFI project (Italian Landslides Inventory, the updating of the historical archive of landslide events, working groups with local authorities to establish planning processes, etc.) and the geological substrate (through development of scientific knowledge, updates subsequent to the geological sheets to scale 1:50.000, etc.); to enable periodic updating, quaternary deposits are found on a separate layer from that of geological units.
Historical maps
A selection of some geo-referenced historical maps of the 19th century.
Download
In this web site it’s possible to view and download data on soil.