This raster describes the inherent, soil productivity of the lower 48 states, as determined by the ordinally based Natural Soil Productivity Index (PI). The PI uses family-level Soil Taxonomy information, i.e., interpretations of taxonomic features or properties that tend to be associated with naturally low or high soil productivity, to rank soils from 0 (least productive) to 19 (most …Continue reading “Productivity Index Grid (conterminous U.S.)”
We introduce, evaluate, and apply a new ordinally based soil Productivity Index (PI). The index has a wide application generally at landscape scales. Unlike competing indexes, it does not require copious amounts of soil data, for example, pH, organic matter, or cation exchange capacity, in its derivation. Geographic information system applications of the PI, in particular, have great potential. For regionally extensive applications, the PI may be as useful and robust as other indexes that have much more exacting data requirements.