Natural susceptibility to compaction for EU 27 (2007), Mar. 2008

This map shows the natural susceptibility of agricultural soils to compaction if they were to be exposed to compaction. The evaluation of the soil’s natural susceptibility is based on the creation of logical connections between relevant parameters (pedotransfer rules). The input parameters for these pedotransfer rules are taken from the attributes of the European soil database, e.g. soil properties: type, texture and water regime, depth to textural change and the limitation of the soil for agricultural use. Besides the main parameters auxiliary parameters have been used as impermeable layer, depth of an obstacle to roots, water management system, dominant and secondary land use. It was assumed that every soil, as a porous medium, could be compacted. The map of natural soil susceptibility to compaction was created from the evaluation of selected parameters from the ESDB. The soil susceptibility to compaction was divided into 4 categories. Two additional categories represent the data concerning places where this evaluation was either not relevant or could not been provided because of lack of information. In total there are 6 categories (attribute "Evaluation" in the shapefile): 0 - no soil. This represents water bodies, glaciers and rock outcrops 1 - low susceptibility to compaction 2. - medium susceptibility to compaction 3. - high susceptibility to compaction 4. - very high susceptibility to compaction 9. - no evaluation possible. This was the case of towns including also soils, soils disturbed by man and marsh. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.