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Database Title

13.1 National Soils Database
Keywords
Type1.
Type 11.

Soils

Soil profiles, soil chemistry; soil physics; soil mineralogy
Abstract

This database is a collection of soil profiles, site descriptions and chemical, physical and mineralogical characteristics for about 3000 soils in New Zealand. The analyses were largely carried out by the former DSIR Soil Bureau.

Data from 1964 to 1992 is held in Paradox for Windows - a PC based relational database (1500 soil profiles). Pre-1964 data is held in a card filing system. The analyses date back to 1938 and in some cases before 1938.

The National Soils Database consists of the following tables:

  • chemical analyses of each horizon of each soil profile
  • soil horizon data
  • analytical methods used
  • mineralogical analyses for each horizon of each soil profile
  • moisture retention analyses for each horizon of each soil sample
  • notes about the analyses
  • particle size analyses for each horizon of each soil sample
  • a table to link the analytical data with a site and horizon data
  • description of the field site
  • x-ray florescence analyses(for data collected after 1984)
Geographical Coverage New Zealand
Dataset start date. 1938
Dataset end date. 1992
Status/currency. The database is currently dormant.
Update frequency. N/A
Maintenance. Minimal funding is available to update the database. There is ongoing correction of entries.

Little new data is being collected and what is collected is not of the same standard as the earlier data (i.e. only partial analysis is being done). The database has not used partial entries so far. It is very expensive to add items to this database as there are so many fields for each soil profile. Analyses cost more than $10,000 per profile.

 

Technical Evaluation

  
Parameters- what is measured
  • Soil horizon depth and general physical characteristics of each horizon.
  • Detailed physical characteristics of each soil horizon
  • Detailed chemical characteristics of each soil horizon.
  • Particle size distribution by soil horizon.
  • Detailed mineralogy of each soil horizon.
  • Water retention for each soil horizon.
  • Solid/void relationship for each soil horizon.
  • Site characteristics including climate, topography and vegetation.
Parameters- what is calculated N/A
Methods used to measure parameters Standard soil analysis methods.
Secondary sources of data N/A
Scale of use. Point data only.
Number of records Approximately 3000 soil profiles.
GIS compatibility. The soils are located using point data. NZ map grid is used.
Available formats for users. Paradox tables.
Access constraints. The data is freely available for researchers (there may be some cost associated with ordering the data).
Commercial users are required to pay for the data and time it takes to assemble that data.
Measurement Accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Completeness of dataset To be completed by database manager.
Positional accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Database steward Landcare Research
Database custodian Landcare Research
Database custodian contact person Janice Willoughby ; Hugh Wilde
Database custodian Contact
Address
Phone
Fax
Email		 Private Bag 11052
Palmerston North
+64 6 356 7154
+64 6 355 9230
willoughbyj@landcare.cri.nz ; wildeh@landcare.cri.nz
References Willoughby, E.J; Baker, I.R. 1995. Standard input/output procedures for the national soils database using Paradox and Windows. Unpublished Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Report.

Numerous references on soil survey methods and analyses.

Date metadata record prepared. October 1999
Author of metadata record. Victoria Froude

 

Management Evaluation

  
Original purpose. As part of the soil survey of New Zealand that sought to characterize New Zealand's soils, "representative" soils were selected for further analysis.
Relationships with classification systems. The New Zealand Soil Classification (Hewitt) is used to classify soils.
Relationships with other databases The database can be linked to the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory Database to show the spatial distribution of selected soil attributes including soil carbon (New Zealand Soils Spatial Database).
Known relationships with proposed EPIP indicators. N/A
Who uses this database? The database is used primarily for research purposes by universities, regional councils and Landcare Research. For example the database has been used to: develop soil degradation indices; predict soil quality indicators for different soil groups and land uses; and to relate cation exchange capacity to total carbon and % clay.

Private Consultants make some use of the database.
Public awareness of the database Low.
Database strengths.
  • This is the only such database in New Zealand.
  • The data available for each soil profile is extremely comprehensive.
Database limitations.
  • The data is point data.
  • The data does not cover all New Zealand soil series (it is clustered around former or existing office sites and primary production land).
  • No new data is being added to the database because of the cost.

 

What are the Current and Emerging Uses of the Database for:

  
Assisting with determining historic state/baseline. This would require a series of records over time. This has not happened. Some data is however old and so is historic data (1930's and 1940's).
Assisting with determining current state/baseline. This can occur in locations where detailed soil analyses have been done. Originally profiles were made on unfertilised soils. Because of the age of some of the data the attributes recorded for the soil profile may have changed in some cases.
Assisting with modeling possible future outcomes. N/A
Risk assessment. N/A
Monitoring site selection and sample design. The data is from points and is not necessarily representative.
Aggregating and reporting data locally, regionally or nationally. Aggregating point data would not be appropriate.