Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
on a summary of his knowledge of the soil types, terrain, and vegetation at the loca-
tion of each pit. If the soil types or mapped properties in two neighboring pits differ,
he drills several holes between the two pits using a hand- or motor-driven soil sam-
pler in order to more precisely determine the mutual boundary. And thus, with that
level of sampling, the fi rst sketch of a soil map across the terrain becomes a reality.
A completely different technique is used when a soil map of a large country,
continent, or even of our planet Earth is ordered. Cooperating with institutions and
commissions of specialists, the soil scientist sits in his offi ce while collecting maps
and all relevant materials of the region being mapped. A general rule prevails - the
smaller is the scale, the larger is the mapped area, number of institutions and com-
missions, and number of cooperating specialists. It is important therefore that the
head soil scientist including the entire ensemble of coauthors has rich experiences
in mapping local soils and, if possible, those soils in different regions exposed to
various factors like climate, vegetation, land use, and soil technology. Hence, to
develop a map across large landscapes, a different combination of brawn and brain
is required. Instead of strong, healthy legs, it is far more important to have vigorous
sitting muscles associated with a tireless brain to allow the soil scientist to continu-
ously and conscientiously participate without exhaustion during uncountable
sequences of meetings.
