Remote Sensing and GIS

Applications in
Soil Resource Assessment
Dr. Suresh Kumar
Head
Agriculture & Soils Department
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing
4- Kalidas Road, Dehradun
Email : suresh_kumar@iirs.gov.in

Contents
1.

Soil Mapping
Soil formation factors
Soil-Landscape concept
Steps in soil mapping using RS techniques

2.

Land Evaluation
Introduction
Major Land Evaluation methods
Applications in Land Use Planning

3. Degraded Lands Mapping

Definition
Types of Degraded lands
4. Hyperspectral RS in soil properties mapping

Introduction
Soil is the most valuable natural resource that serves
as natural medium for plant growth.
Soil is derived from the latin word Solum, which
means floor.

Composition of soil
Mineral

material (45%)
: Sand, silt & Clay (soil texture)
Organic material (5%)
: Soil organic matter (Soil carbon)
Air
(20-30%) : O2 , CO2
Water
(20-30%) : H2O

Soil
A natural, three- dimensional body at the
earths surface that is capable of
supporting plants and has properties
resulting from the integrated effect of
climate and organism acting on parent
material, as conditioned by topography
over period of time.

Soil variability
Vertical variations (soil horizons)
Variations across landscapes
Regional variation

Soil is arranged in a
series of zones called
Horizons.
Cross-sectional view of
the horizons in a soil is
called Soil Profile
Profiles
O Horizon
A Horizon
B Horizon
C Horizon

Soil Profile

A pedon is the basic soil sampling unit,

and a polypedon is the basic soil mapping unit

Soil mapping involves:

- characterization

of soils (morphological, physical and chemical

properties)
- classify the soils according standard classification system
- plots the boundaries of the soils on a base map
- prediction about the behavior (potential) of soils.

Standard soil surveys are normally carried out in

different mapping levels, depending on the
requirement of the area.
Kinds of soil map

Standard
scale

Reconnaissance

1:2,50,000

Semi-Detailed

1:50,000

Detailed

1:20,000 or
larger

Remote Sensing
data
IRS LISS I, II &
AWiFS
IRS LISS III &
Landsat TM
Resourcesat-2
LISS IV, Merged
LISS IV &
Cartosat -1 & 2

Soil Forming Factors described by Jenny (1941)

S = f (cl, o, r, p, t, .......)
i) Climate (Temperature and rainfall)
Active factors

i) Organism (Land use/ land cover)

ii) Parent material (Geology, landform)

iii) Relief (Topography)

Passive factors

iii) Time
(period taken by a soil from the stage of weathered
rock to the stage of maturity)

Soil-landscape analysis : Remote Sensing approach

In a region, climate and time factors can be considered as
constant.
- Prepare geomorphology (parent material) map by
interpretation of Std. FCC
- Divide the geomorphology map based on slope
(topography) i.e. (geomorph-slope map)
- Further divide the above interpreted map based on
dominant land use / land cover (organism)

The final delineation known as soil-landscape

units or physiographic units.
Thus, Physiographic units are homogenous land
units similar in terms of soil forming factors
mainly geology / geomorphology/ topography and
vegetation that lead to similar type of soil forming
(pedogenic) processes.

Thus, Soil mapping requires Delineation of Physiographic Unit

Siwalik Hills
Mod. Steep to steep

Siwalik Hills
Steep sloping

Piedmont
-Gently sloping
-cultivated

Alluvial plain :
nearly level

Piedmont
- Gently sloping
- Forest

3 D VIEW OF STUDY AREA - LISS III FCC draped on DEM

(Part of Goa)
Buried Pediments

Denudational
Hills

Valley Fills

River Terraces

The approach followed for delineation soillandscape unit can be discussed as follows:
1.
2.
3.

Preliminary Visual Interpretation

Ground Truth Collection
Post field interpretation

1. Preliminary Visual Interpretation : A tentative

interpretation key in terms of image elements
are prepared to interpret.

2.

Field Survey (Ground Truth Data Collection)

Sample strips representing variation in the

delineated soil landscape units and soils were
selected for field verification.
Detailed ground observations were made in
order to establish the relationship between the
landscape units and soils occurring therein.
Soil profiles representative of a particular landscape
were excavated, morphological characteristics are
studied and soil samples collected for physicochemical analysis in the laboratory.

3 D VIEW OF STUDY AREA - LISS III FCC draped on DEM

(Part of Goa)
Buried Pediments

Denudational
Hills

Valley Fills

River Terraces

SIDE SLOPES OF
DENUDATIONAL HILLS

SOIL PROFILE

VALLEY FILLS

Soil profile

3.

Post field interpretation

Based on morphological features and the physicochemical characteristics, soil profiles were
classified using Soil Taxonomy (U.S.D.A. 1994)
and the soil composition of each landscape unit
(physiographic unit) was defined.
The soil-scape boundaries were transferred onto a
base map of 1:50,000 scale prepared form Survey
of India topographical sheets of the same scale.

Methodology For Soil Mapping

RS Satellite
data

Preliminary Visual
Interpretation
Develop
Interpretation
keys

Soil Profile
Study
Soils -pH, Ece,
ESP

Ground truth
collection
Soil Analysis
Post Field Interpretation

Soil Map

Ancillary
data
SOI Topo maps
Climatic data
Published literature

Soil samples
collection
Soils
Characterization

PHYSIOGRAPHIC SOIL MAP OF STUDY AREA

(Part of Tillari Command Area)

Scale

Rock Out Crops

L.S. Typic Ustorthents
Rock Out Crops
C.L. Typic Dystrusteps
L.S. Typic Dystrusteps
L.S. Typic Dystrusteps
F.L. Typic Dystrusteps
C.L. Typic Ustifluents
F.L. Typic Haplustepts
C. L Aquic Ustifluents
MudFlats/MarshyLands
Salt Pans
Beach
Habitation
-------

Soil mapping units and their soil characteristics

Map
unit

Texture Depth Drainage

(cm)

Erosi pH
on

DH12

sl /scl

20

Excessive e2

BP1

sl /sl

20-30

well

VF

l / cl

>140

Imperfect e1

6.1

CP1

ls / scl

>150

Moderate e0

5.1

5.0- 5.1

e1/e2 5.1-5.4

Land Evaluation
Land evaluation is aimed to assess land performance
and its production potential for a specific purpose.
- Part of the process of land use planning.

- to guide decisions on land use in such a way that

the resources of the environment are put to the
most beneficial use for man, whilst at the same
time conserving those resources for the future.

Land Evaluation?
Land-use
requirements

Match
with
criteria

Soil & land

characteristics

Suitability
Land-use
planning
policies
& plans

Commonly used land evaluation methods for

assessing the potential and productivity of soil
for agricultural purposes are :
(i).

Land Capability Classification

(ii).

Land Irrigability Classification

(iii)

FAO Framework of Land Evaluation (1976)

(i).

Land Capability Classification :

Land capability defined as the inherent physical potential of

the land to support a land use without degradation to land
and water resources.
The land is divided into Eight capability classes, which are
numbered in Roman numerals from I to VIII.
Class I to class IV

: suitable for cultivation

class V to class VIII

: unsuitable for cultivation

The subclass are based on kinds of dominant limitation such as

wetness or excess water (w), Climate (c), Soil (s) and erosion (e).

Land Capability Classification

Land
capability
criteria

Match
with
criteria

Land Capability
classes

Soil & land

characteristics

Suitable for Agriculture

Class I Class II Class III Class IV -

land is the best suited for Agriculture.

land has moderate limitations for Agriculture.
land has severe limitations and needs management.
land has very severe limitations.
Suitable for Forestry and pasture land

Class V -

Land suitable for grazing, pasture development &

forestry, there are no limitations for use. Land has
all the characteristics of class I land except for
limitations of water-less & stoniness or rockiness or
adverse climatic conditions.

Class VI land has moderate limitations for grazing &

forestry
Class VII - land has severe limitations for grazing & forestry.
Class VIII - lands are very steep or rough or stony or barren.

LAND CAPABILITY MAP

LEGEND
Suitable for Crops with Mod Lim
Suitable for Crops with Mod Lim
Suitable for Crops with Mod Lim
Suitable for Crops with Severe Lim
Suitable for Forestry/Plantations
Suitable for Forestry Mod Lim

Suitable for Forestry Mod Lim

Suitable for Forestry - Severe Lim
Not Suitable for Vegetation

(ii) Soil and Land Irrigability Classification:

The interpretation of soil and land conditions suitable
for irrigation. It assess suitability of soils for sustained
use under irrigation.
Class
A
B
C
D
E

Soil Irrigability Classes and their Definitions

Definition
None to slight limitations for sustained use under
irrigation
Moderate soil limitations for sustained use under
irrigation
Severe soil limitations for sustained use under
irrigation
Very severe soil limitations for sustained use
under irrigation
Not suited for irrigation.

Land Irrigability Classes and their Definition

Class

Definition

Class 1

Lands that have few limitations of soils, topography or

drainage for sustained use under irrigation.

Class 2

Lands that have moderate limitations of soil, topography or

drainage for sustained use under irrigation.

Class 3

Lands that have severe limitations of soil, topography or

drainage for sustained use under irrigation.

Class 4

Lands that are marginal for sustained use under irrigation

because of very severe limitations of either soil topography or
drainage.

Class 5

Lands that are temporarily classed as not suitable for sustained

use under irrigation.

Class 6

Lands not suitable for sustained use under irrigation.

LAND IRRIGABILITY MAP

LEGEND

(iii) FAO Framework of Land Evaluation

Most widely used for assessing the suitability of
soils for various kind of Land Utilization Types
(LUTs).
Land Suitability may be defined as the fitness of a
given type of land for a specified kind of land use
(FAO,1983).
It measure of how well the qualities of a land unit
match the requirements of a particular form of land
use.

FAO Framework classifies land in four categories,

namely. Orders, Classes, Subclasses and Units.
(1) Suitability orders
'S' = suitable, 'N' = not suitable, for the land use.
(2) Suitability classes

These are divisions of suitability orders that indicate the

degree of suitability.
'S1' = suitable, 'S2' = moderately suitable,
'S3' = marginally suitable, 'N1' unsuitable for economic
reasons but otherwise marginally suitable,
'N2' = unsuitable for physical reasons.

Crop Suitability Analysis : FAO method

Map
unit
DH12
BP1
VF
CP1

Paddy

Sugar Cashew
cane

Coco Land
nut
capabil
ity
N
VIsw

S3t

S2t,e

S3d

S3f

S3d

IIIw

S2t

S2t

S3f

S2dt,f

IIs

Suitability for various crops

LEGEND

Degraded Lands Mapping:

Land degradation is often related to decline in soil
quality caused through its misuse by humans.
The processes leading to land degradation are generally
triggered by excessive pressure on land to meet the
completing demands of the rapidly growing population for
food, fodder and fiber. This leads to over-exploitation of
natural resources.

(i) Physical degradation : Erosion, waterlogging, Soil

compaction
(ii) Chemical degradation: salt affected soils , Soil Acidity
(salinity/alkalinity)

(iii) Biological Degradation : loss of organic matter

S.
Type of Degradation
Arable
No.
land
1 Water erosion (>10 t/ha/yr)
73.27
2 Wind erosion (Aeolian)
12.40
Sub total
85.67
3 Chemical degradation
a) Exclusively salt affected soils
5.44
b) Salt-affected and water eroded soils
1.20
c) Ex exclusively acidic soils (pH<5.5)
5.09
d) Acidic (pH <5.5) and water eroded soils
5.72
Sub total
17.45
4 Physical degradation
a) Mining and industrial waste
0.19
b) Water logging (Permanent surface inundation)
Sub total
1.07
Total
104.19
Grand total (Arable land and Open forest : 120.72

Open
forest land
9.30
9.30
0.10
7.13
7.23

16.53

In India, 80 % land is affected by water erosion of total degraded lands (120.72 Mha).

Erosion by water
Water erosion
types:
Severe Erosion

Moderate Erosion

Splash
erosion
Sheet
erosion
Rill erosion
Gully
erosion

SALT AFFECTED SOILS

Cropped areas

Strongly Salt affected soils

Moderately Salt affected soils
Waterlogged areas

Spectral Reflectance of Salt Affected Soils

from Landsat-TM data
Strongly Saline -Sodic Soil

100

Strongly Saline Soil

REFLECTANCE (%)

90

Moderately Saline -Sodic Soil

80

Normal Soils

70

60
50
0
0.52 - 0.60um

0.63 - 0.69um

BANDS

0.76 - 0.90um

WATERLOGGED SOILS

IRS LISS IV Data

IRS satellite data :

FCC of IGNP area, Rajasthan

5DBLK

Monitoring of Waterlogging : Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana (IGNP) around Baropal, Rajasthan

1975
(Landsat MSS)

1985
(Landsat TM)

1990
(IRS LISS III)

1995
(IRS LISS III)
Images of March Month

Hyper spectral satellite data (Hyperion-1): Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) mapping
ATMOSPHERIC CORRECTION OF HYPERION DATA

Before

After

HYPERION
No of bands

242

Spectral resolution

10 nm

Spatial resolution

30 m

Swath

7.5 km

S No.

Index

Formula

1.

Brightness index

((B2+G2+R2)/3)0.5

2.

Saturation index

(R-B)/(R+B)

3.
4.

Hue index
Coloration index

(2*R-G-B)/(G-B)
(R-G)/(R+G)

R: 681 nm.
G: 569nm.
B: 487nm.

Indices Brightness index

Saturation index

Coloration index

Hue index

R2

0.66

0.61

0.60

0.63

Soil Clay Minerals Mapping

Conclusions
Extensive and reliable information on soil and
land resources are prerequisites for efficient
and effective management planning of natural
resources.

Remote sensing and GIS have emerged as

effective tools in generating spatial information
of soil resources, evaluation of their potential
and mapping of degraded lands for land use
planning.

Thank you all

Let us interact and

------ clarify doubt