ParametricSol.html

Dorronsoro B.*, Garcia I.**, Bervell R.***, Dorronsoro-Diaz. C.****, Roca A***, Fernandez E.***, Dorronsoro-Fdez C.***

* Departamento Lenguas  y Ciencias de la Computacion, E.T.S.I. Informatica, Universidad de Malaga, 29071  Malaga, España.

** Dpto. de Edafología y Química Agrícola. Universidad de Almería. 015117 Almeria. España

*** Departamento Edafologia y Química Agricola, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18002 Granada, España.

**** Instituto de Optica "Daza Valdes", CSIC. 28006 Madrid, España.

This communication concerns about Soil evaluation. It is presented in an interactive way by a computer program in such a way that it can be used as a learning tool by students in classes on Land Evaluation.As politico-socio-economic criteria are not employed, the Soil Evaluation term proposed by Dorronsoro (2002) instead of Land Evaluation have been used.

This computer program shows how to evaluate soils for Land Capability according to the parametric system of the Riquier, Bramao and Cornet (FAO, 1970).

The evaluated soils are: Leptosols, Regosols, Fluvisols, Arenosols, Solonchaks, Vertisol, Gleysols, Kastanozems, Phaeozems, Calcisols, Umbrisol, Podzols, Cambisols  and  Luvisols.

For each soil, data are provided in relation to the general characteristics of the zone where the soil is located (climate and morphological as well as physico-chemical data) together with a photograph of the profile and landscape in question.

The soil evaluation is made after answering a total of ten questions on soil characteristics:  1) Soil moisture content; 2) Drainage;  3) Effective depth; 4) Texture and structure; 5) Average nutrient; 6) Soluble salts; 7) Organic matter; 8) Mineral exchange capacity; 9) Reserves of weatherable minerals.

The application allows both the self-learning of the students as their self-evaluation.The highest score is 10 points, each wrong answer being penalized  one point.

The structure of this application is multi-platform (PC, Mac, Linus, etc.); it is written in html/JavaScript. A specific high-security navigator (GsuelosExplorer) has been developed to examine students, by cancelling some non-desired options of the usual navigators (navigator menu, refresh of the page, access to the source, access of the historical, etc) and providing automatic recording of the results. 

References

Dorronsoro, C. 2002. Soil evaluation. The role of the Soil Science in the Land Evaluation. Sustainble use and management of soils in arid and semiarid regions. SUMASS 2002.Cartagena (Murcia-Spain).Volume I. Edts.: A. Faz, R. Ortiz, A.R. Mermut. 106-128. Quaderna Editorial. Murcia.

Riquier, J., Bramao, L. and Cornet, S.P. 1970. A new system or soil appraisal in terms of actual and potential productivity: FAO Soil Resources No 38. Rome. Italy.