APPLICATIONS OF GIS IN SOIL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Soil is a natural resource that is fundamental for all human uses. Soil is primarily used for agriculture and soil erosion plays a major role in causing serious disruption in agricultural activity. Soil erosion occurs mainly due to natural disasters like floods and droughts. Prevention and mitigation are effective ways to manage this problem. GIS in conjunction with the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) can be used to evaluate the risk area of soil erosion. The USLE is the most commonly used estimator of soil loss caused by overland erosion. It is used in most parts of the world including India.
The assessment of soil erosion using GIS according to the flowchart shown below:

Each of the USLE factors with associated attribute data is digitally encoded in a GIS database to eventually produce five thematic layers. These are the spatially overlaid to produce a resultant polygonal layer. Application of the USLE model to the resultant layer yields a soil erosion map with classes of soil loss. Thus GIS can provide detailed information to locate areas that are at a risk of soil erosion and areas that are suitable for agriculture.

Definitions of GIS

DEFINITIONS OF GIS

Toolbox based definitions
(i) GIS is a powerful set of tools for collecting, storing, retrieving at will, transforming and displaying spatial data from the real world (Burrough 1986)
(ii) GIS is a system for capturing, storing, checking, manipulating, analysing and displaying data which are spatially referenced to the Earth (Department of Environment 1987)
(iii) GIS is an information technology which stores, analyses and displays both spatial and non-spatial data (Parker 1988)

Database definitions
(i) GIS is a database system in which most of the data are spatially indexed and upon which a set of procedures operated in order to answer questions about spatial entities in the database.
(Smith et al 1987)
(ii) GIS is any manual or computer based set of procedures used to store and manipulate geographically referenced data. (Aronoff 1989)

Organization based definitions
(i) GIS is an automated set of functions that provides professionals with advanced capabilities for the storage, retrieval, manipulation and display of geographically located data.
(Ozemoy, Smith and Sicherman 1981)
(ii) GIS is an institutional entity reflecting an organizational structure that integrates technology with a database, expertise and continuing financial support over time. (Carter 1989)
(iii) GIS is a decision supporting system involving the integration of spatially referenced data in a problem solving environment. (Cowen 1988)

INDEX

GIS - UNIT 1 syllabus - OU

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/06/gis-unit-1-syllabus-ou.html

GIS-Unit 2-Syllabus-OU

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/06/ou-gis-unit-ii.html

GIS-Unit 3-Syllabus-OU

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/06/gis-unit-3-syllabus-ou.html

GIS-Unit 4-Syllabus-OU
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/gis-unit-4-syllabus-ou.html

GIS-Unit 5-Syllabus-OU
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/07/gis-unit-5-syllabus-ou.html

References

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/06/references.html

Maps

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/07/maps.html

Maps - Basic components, Types of maps & Map analysis
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/07/maps-basic-components-types-of-maps-map.html

Important terms in GIS and Remote Sensing
https://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2019/11/important-terms-in-gis-and-remote.html

Uses and limitations of paper maps

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/07/uses-and-limitations-of-paper-maps.html

Characteristics of maps and map projections

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/07/characteristics-of-maps-and-map.html

Salient features of selected projections

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/07/salient-features-of-selected-projections.html

Definitions of GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/08/definitions-of-gis.html

Application of GIS in Agriculture

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/07/application-of-gis-in-agriculture.html

APPLICATIONS OF GIS IN SOIL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/08/applications-of-gis-in-soil-resource.html

References

http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/06/references.html

GIS OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/gis-objective-questions.html

GIS- Basics
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/gis-basics.html

Birth and History of GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/birth-and-history-of-gis.html

Map projections and spatial referencing
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/map-projections-and-spatial-referencing.html

Data types used in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/data-types-used-in-gis.html

Data formats in a GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/data-formats-in-gis.html

Data structure in a GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/09/data-structure-in-gis.html

Data compression in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/data-compression.html

Digital Elevation Data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/digital-elevation-data.html

Cartographic database
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/cartographic-database.html

Conversion of existing digital data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/conversion-of-existing-digital-data.html

Remotely sensed data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/remotely-sensed-data.html

Object Structural Model in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/object-structural-model-in-gis.html

Conflation, edge matching and editing operations in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/conflation-edge-matching-and-editing.html

Analysis functions in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/10/analysis-functions-in-gis.html

Cartographic modeling by GIS analysis - procedure with an example
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/cartographic-modeling-by-gis-analysis.html

Raster Data Analysis
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/raster-data-analysis.html

GIS and Knowledge Based Systems
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/gis-and-knowledge-based-systems.html

Classification of GIS models
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/classification-of-gis-models.html

Digital Elevation Data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/10/digital-elevation-data_12.html

Editing functions in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/editing-and-query-functions-in-gis.html

Diagram of a Networked Database Structure
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/diagram-of-networked-database-structure.html

A heirarchical database structure based on a simple map
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/a-heirarchical-database-structure-based.html

Diagram Showing Vector Topology
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/diagram-showing-vector-topology.html

Diagram depicting vector and raster representations of map features and their linkage to the attribute database
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/diagram-depicting-vector-and-raster.html

Diagram depicting linkage between Spatial data and Attribute data in a coverage
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/diagram-depicting-linkage-between.html

Diagram showing the conceptual data model
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/conceptual-data-model.html

Map Annotations
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/map-annotations.html

Conflation in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/10/conflation-edge-matching-and-editing.html

Transformation in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/10/transformation-in-gis.html

Spatial Analysis in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/10/spatial-analysis-in-gis.html

Connectivity functions
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/10/connectivity-functions.html

Analysis of non spatial attribute data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/maintenance-and-analysis-of-non-spatial.html

Important objective questions
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/important-objective-questions.html

Cost-Benefit analysis of an investment in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/11/cost-benefit-analysis-of-investment-in.html

Text patterns and line styles
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/text-patterns-and-line-styles.html

Sampling GIS data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/sampling-gis-data.html

Types of errors in GIS data, their elimination and accuracies
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/types-of-errors-in-gis-data-their.html

Components of data quality
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/components-of-data-quality.html

Graphic symbols
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/graphic-symbols.html

Types of errors in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/types-of-errors-in-gis.html

Neighbourhood operations
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/11/neighbourhood-operations.html

Record overlay
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2015/11/record-overlay.html

Modelling in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/12/modelling-in-gis.html

Simple analysis in GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/12/simple-analysis-in-gis.html

Output formatting
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2015/12/output-formatting.html

Map transformations
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/07/map-transformations.html

Electromagnetic radiation and its characteristics
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/07/electromagnetic-radiation-and-its.html

Software Scenario Functions: Visibility Analysis
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2016/08/software-scenario-functions-visibility.html

Interaction of EMR with the Earth's surface
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2016/08/interaction-of-emr-with-earths-surface.html

Types of Sensors
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2016/08/types-of-sensors.html

Diagrammatic representation of types of sensors
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2016/08/diagrammatic-representation-of-types-of.html

Remote sensing data products
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/08/remote-sensing-data-products.html

Interpretation of remote sensing data
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/08/interpretation-of-remote-sensing-data.html

Characteristics of Indian Remote Sensing series of satellite
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/08/characteristics-of-indian-remote.html

Software Scenario Functions: Environmental modelling
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2016/08/software-scenario-functions.html

Software Scenario Functions: Watershed Modelling
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2016/08/software-scenario-functions-watershed.html

Using GIS for making decisions under uncertainty
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2017/09/using-gis-for-making-decisions-under.html

An overview of the concepts involved in spatial sciences
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2017/12/an-overview-of-concepts-involved-in.html

An overview of Global Positioning Systems
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.in/2017/12/an-overview-of-gps.html

Overview of GIS
http://mjcetce409.blogspot.com/2017/12/overview-of-gis.html