Session 13: Mapping for soil sustainable management

Organisers: Paulo Pereira1, Anna Brook2, Igor Bogunovic3, Juan Martinez-Murillo4, Sebastiano Trevisani5

1Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania

2University of Haifa, Israel

3University of Zagreb, Croatia

4University of Malaga, Spain

5University IUAV of Venice, Italy

Abstract

Maps synthesise information, easy to understand and to be used for a sustainable use of the territory. Independently of the scale, maps are fundamental for a better understanding of the landscape and the processes that influence it. In this context, better quality maps are necessary to have a detailed knowledge about soil properties spatial variability. Remote/proximal sensing and advanced statistical methods (e.g, data mining, machine learning, geostatistics, etc.) increased data availability and the accuracy of the predictions. These new technologies and methodologies are important to be applied in soil sustainable management; in fact, these contribute to identify, assess, monitor, mitigate and restore soil and land degradation in different environments, such as agricultural, forest and urban areas. Soil ecosystem services (e.g carbon storage, food provision, water infiltration and purification) provide important benefits to the society and the identification of their spatial distribution is a key aspect of a correct territorial planning and reduce the potential human impact on their capacity to provide services in quality and quantity. Moreover, advanced spatial data analysis approaches permit to explore environmental data according to an integrated perspective, permitting to shed light on the interconnections between the many geoenvironmental processes and factors influencing soil properties. This session aims to bring together works focused on soil mapping for sustainable development.