Manuscript Library

Overview

The Manuscript Library serves as a collection of research publications produced by the Geospatial Laboratory for Soil Informatics (GLSI). These manuscripts cover a range of topics, including soil science, digital soil mapping, geospatial analysis, and land classification. Our publications explore advancements in machine learning for soil modeling, geomorphometry, soil fertility, and classification systems, contributing to the broader understanding of soil-landscape interactions and sustainable land management.

Browse our latest research on spatial modeling, soil classification, and digital soil mapping to stay informed about the cutting-edge developments in soil informatics and geospatial sciences.

Manuscripts

Soil mapping, classification, and pedologic modeling: History and future directions

Soil mapping, classification, and pedologic modelling have been important drivers in the advancement of our understanding of soil. Advancement in one of these highly interrelated areas tend to lead to corresponding advances in the others. Traditionally, soil maps have been desirable for purposes of land valuation, agronomic planning, and even in military operations. The expansion…

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Spatial modeling of organic carbon in degraded peatland soils of northeast Germany

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of high-resolution, minimally invasive sensor data to predict spatial variation of soil organic carbon stocks within highly degraded peatland soils in northeast Germany. Soil organic carbon density was related to elevation, electrical conductivity, and peat thickness. Modeling peat thickness based on sensor data needs additional…

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The use of soil surveys to aid in geologic mapping with an emphasis on the Eastern and Midwestern United States

After soil science became established as a scientific discipline, there has been a continued interplay between geologists and soil scientists, both fields benefiting from advancements made by the other. There is strong agreement between preliminary geology maps created from soil maps and traditional geology maps. Despite the results obtained when using soil maps to create…

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Comparison of spatial association approaches for landscape mapping of soil organic carbon stocks

A comparison of direct and indirect approaches for mapping SOC stocks from rule-based, multiple linear regression models applied at the landscape scale via spatial association. The final products for both strategies are high-resolution maps of SOC stocks (kg m‾²), covering an area of 122 km², with accompanying maps of estimated error. Although the indirect approach…

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Digital classification of hillslope position

Classification of elevation rasters with this digital model of hillslope position represent base maps that can be used to (1) improve research on toposequences by providing explicit definitions of each hillslope element’s location, (2) facilitate the disaggregation of soil map unit complexes, and (3) identify map unit inclusions that occur due to subtle topographic variation.

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Late-Pleistocene paleowinds and aeolian sand mobilization in north-central Lower Michigan

Simulation of late glacial atmospheric conditions with atmospheric general circulation models suggest a strong anticyclone over the Laurentide Ice Sheet and associated easterly winds along the glacial margin. In the upper Midwest of North America, evidence supporting this modeled air flow exists in the orientation of paleospits in northeastern Lower Michigan that formed ∼13 ka…

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Impact of multi-scale predictor selection for modeling soil properties

Results suggest that models with limited predictor pools can substitute other predictors to compensate for unavailable variables. However, a better performing model was always found by considering predictor variables at multiple scales. Although the scale effect of the modifiable area unit problem is generally well known, this study suggests digital soil mapping efforts would be…

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The historical role of base maps in soil geography

This paper reviews the historical development of base maps used for soil mapping, and evaluates the dependence of soil mapping on base maps. Formerly, as a reference for spatial position, paper base maps controlled the cartographic scale of soil maps. However, this relationship is no longer true in geographic information systems. Today, as parameters for…

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Semantic calibration of digital terrain analysis scale

DTA has not been field tested to the extent that traditional field metrics of topography have been. Human assessment of topography synthesizes multiple parameters at multiple scales to characterize a landscape, based on field experience. In order to capture the analysis scale used by field scientists, this study introduces a method for calibrating the analysis…

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