Survey on digital soil data in Europe

In cooperation with the project "GIS based estimation of biomass potential" a survey of digital soil data in Europe was accomplished during the last half year. The aim was to find suitable model input parameters for derivations of local productive capacity (potential yield index) in agriculture.

Results

Europe-wide no yield indeces are existing.

The European Soil Bureau (ESB) generalised European Soil data of the individual countries on the scale 1:1.000.000 . They are available in digital form as European Soil Database Version 2.0 (date 2004) for the EU25 states and contain uniform soil parameters for possible derivations of potential yields.

Country-specific data based on information of the ESB were inquired. The partners in the countries were informed via e-mail about the "biomass project" at the university of applied sciences in Eberswalde and asked about suitable soil data of their countries.

Many experts in different states were very interested in the contents of the project and want to cooperate. The processing status and / or the existence of digtal soil data in the EU25 is very different. In following countries have existing digital medium- and large-scale soil data: Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Great Britain (England and Wales), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Hungary.

In some countries similar systems of evaluation of potential yield index were developed and maps are available.

Special thanks to all partners for their kind support and cooperation!

For further information, please, contact Sybille Brozio (sbrozio(at)fh-eberswalde.de).

Eberswalde, February 2006