Accessing WoSIS-derived datasets
Products
Standardised datasets derived from WoSIS database are distributed in two ways. The most recent, WoSIS Latest (dynamic) version can be accessed through an OGC-compliant Web Feature Service (WFS). Further, WoSIS Snapshot (static) datasets in TSV (tab separated values) format are provided for consistent citation purposes and reproducible research.
WoSIS standardised data can be used in digital soil mapping (e.g. SoilGrids, GSP GSOC map), populate regional databases (e.g. GSP SISLAC), or to develop pedotransfer functions.
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WoSIS Latest. This dynamic dataset contains the most recent standardised soil data served from WoSIS database. Being dynamic, the dataset will grow once new point data are standardised, additional soil properties are considered, and/or when possible ammendments are required.
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WoSIS Snapshot. These static datasets are a representation of the standardised data available at a given point in time. Each snapshot is given a unique name and digital object identifier (doi) for consistent citation purposes.
Access data
- WoSIS Latest: These data can be accessed using Web Feature Service (WFS) by adding the following link in your GIS application: http://maps.isric.org/mapserv?map=/map/wosis_latest.map . Learn how to add a WFS service in QGIS or ArcMap.It's also possible to download the layers at ISRIC Data Hub. After opening the previous link, choose the layer, scroll down to Download and links section then press the Download drop-down list and choose your favourite format (geojson, geopackage, shapefile, csv or gml). A thumbnail, generated using WMS, shows the location of the point data. Below, in the Soil properties section there are also links to each one of these layers.
WoSIS_Latest (JFebruary 2023) contains data for 220 point locations, click dashboard for a quick visualisation (best done on desktop).
- WoSIS Snapshot presently there are two snapshots: July-2016 (118.4k point locations) and September-2019 (196.5k point locations) with associated data papers.
Tutorials
Here you can find R markdown scripts, as well as their compiled PDF, to access the two forms of WoSIS database products. If you want to run it in your own environment (most likely), download it and load the *.rmd file into your R Studio.
R markdown is explained by the R Studio project: https://rmarkdown.rstudio.com. You can also extract the R code from the compiled tutorial or the R markdown script and paste into your favourite R environment. These scripts were kindly prepared by our Guest Researcher David Rossiter.
Papers and documentation
- WoSIS Snapshot September-2019. Batjes NH, Ribeiro E and van Oostrum AJM, 2019. Standardised soil profile data to support global mapping and modelling (WoSIS snapshot 2019). Earth System Science Data, 12, 299-320.
- WoSIS Snapshot July-2016. Batjes NH, Ribeiro E, van Oostrum AJM, Leenaars J, Hengl T, and Mendes de Jesus J 2017: WoSIS - Providing standardised soil profile data for the world, Earth System Science Data, 9, 1-14.
- WoSIS database documentation. Ribeiro E, Batjes NH and van Oostrum AJM 2020. World Soil Information Service (WoSIS) - Towards the standardization and harmonization of world soil data. Procedures Manual 2020. ISRIC report 2020/01, ISRIC - World Soil Information, Wageningen, 166 p.
Soil properties
The complement of soil properties (45) provided in WoSIS Latest is presented in the table below. This list has grown since the original list, which focused on the soil properties defined in the GlobalSoilMap specifications. When specified in the source meta data, 'aggregated' information on the analytical properties is provided with the data (see additional information on coding analytical methods in Procedures Manual).
| Code |
Property |
Units |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| BDFI33 | Bulk density fine earth - 33 kPa | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the fine earth fraction a, equilibrated at 33 kPa |
| BDFIAD | Bulk density fine earth - air dry | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the fine earth fraction, air dried |
| BDFIFM | Bulk density fine earth - field moist | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the fine earth fraction, field moist |
| BDFIOD | Bulk density fine earth - oven dry | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the fine earth fraction, oven dry |
| BDWSAD c | Bulk density whole soil - air dry | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the whole soil including coarse fragments, air dried |
| BDWSFM c | Bulk density whole soil - field moist | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the whole soil including coarse fragments, field moist |
| BDWSOD | Bulk density whole soil - oven dry | kg/dm³ | Bulk density of the whole soil including coarse fragments, oven dry |
| TCEQ |
Calcium carbonate equivalent total |
g/kg |
The content of carbonate in a liming material or calcareous soil calculated as if all of the carbonate is in the form of CaCO3 (in the fine earth fraction); also known as inorganic carbon |
| ORGC |
Organic carbon |
g/kg |
Gravimetric content of organic carbon in the fine earth fraction |
| TOTC |
Total carbon |
g/kg |
Gravimetric content of organic carbon and inorganic carbon in the fine earth fraction |
| NITKJD | Total nitrogen (N) | g/kg | The sum of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (ammonia, organic and reduced nitrogen) and nitrate-nitrite |
| CECPH7 | Cation exchange capacity - buffered at pH7 | cmol(c)/kg | Capacity of the fine earth fraction to hold exchangeable cations, estimated by buffering the soil at 'pH7' |
| CECPH8 | Cation exchange capacity - buffered at pH8 | cmol(c)/kg | Capacity of the fine earth fraction to hold exchangeable cations, estimated by buffering the soil at 'pH8' |
| ECEC |
Effective cation exchange capacity |
cmol(c)/kg |
Capacity of the fine earth fraction to hold exchangeable cations at the pH of the soil (ECEC). Conventionally approximated by summation of exchangeable bases (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Na+) plus 1 N KCl exchangeable acidity (Al3+ and H+) in acidic soils |
| ELCO20 | Electrical conductivity - ratio 1:2 | dS/m | Ability of a 1:2 soil water extract to conduct electrical current |
| ELCO25 | Electrical conductivity - ratio 1:2.5 | dS/m | Ability of a 1:2.5 soil water extract to conduct electrical current |
| ELCO50 | Electrical conductivity - ratio 1:5 | dS/m | Ability of a 1:5 soil water extract to conduct electrical current |
| ELCOSP | Electrical conductivity - saturated paste | dS/m | Ability of a water saturated soil paste to conduct electrical current (ECe) |
| CFGR |
Coarse fragments gravimetric total |
g/100g |
Gravimetric content of coarse fragments in the whole soil |
| CFVO |
Coarse fragments volumetric total |
cm³/100cm³ |
Volumetric content of coarse fragments in the whole soil |
| CLAY |
Clay total |
g/100g |
Gravimetric content of < X mm soil material in the fine earth fraction (e.g. X = 0.002 mm as specified in the analytical method description) |
| SILT |
Silt total |
g/100g |
X to Y mm fraction of the fine earth fraction; Y as specified in the analytical method description (e.g. Y = 0.05 mm) |
| SAND |
Sand total |
g/100g |
Larger than Y mm fraction of the fine earth fraction; Y as specified in the analytical method description (e.g. Y = 0.05 mm to 2 mm) |
| PHBA c | pH BaCl2 | - | A measure of the acidity or alkalinity in soils, defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of hydronium ions (H+) in a BaCl2 solution |
| PHCA |
pH CaCl2 |
- |
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity in soils, defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of hydronium ions (H+) in a CaCl2 solution, as specified in the analytical method descriptions |
| PHAQ |
pH H2O |
- |
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity in soils, defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of hydronium ions (H+) in water |
| PHKC |
pH KCl |
- |
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity in soils, defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of hydronium ions (H+) in a KCl solution, as specified in the analytical method descriptions |
| PHNF |
pH NaF |
- |
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity in soils, defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the activity of hydronium ions (H+) in a NaF solution, as specified in the analytical method descriptions |
|
PHETB1 d [PHPBY] |
Phosphorus (P) - Bray I | mg/kg | Measured according to the Bray-I method, a combination of HCl and NH4 F to remove easily acid soluble P forms, largely Al- and Fe-phosphates (for acid soils) |
|
PHETM3 d [PHPMH3] |
Phosphorus (P) - Mehlich 3 | mg/kg | Measured according to the Mehlich-3 extractant, a combination of acids (acetic [HOAc] and nitric [HNO3]), salts (ammonium fluoride [NH4F] and ammonium nitrate [NH4 NO3]), and the chelating agent ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); considered suitable for removing P and other elements in acid and neutral soils |
|
PHETOL d [PHPOLS] |
Phosphorus (P) - Olsen | mg/kg | Measured according to the P-Olsen method: 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) solution at a pH of 8.5 to extract P from calcareous, alkaline, and neutral soils |
| PHPRTN | Phosphorus (P) - retention | mg/kg | Retention measured according to the New Zealand method |
| PHPTOT | Phosphorus (P) - total | mg/kg | Determined with a very strong acid (aqua regia and sulfuric acid/nitric acid) |
| PHPWSL | Phosphorus (P) - water soluble | mg/kg | Measured in 1:x soil:water solution (mainly determines P in dissolved forms) |
| WG1500 | Water retention gravimetric - 1500 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 1500 kPa |
| WG0500 | Water retention gravimetric - 500 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 500 kPa |
| WG0200 | Water retention gravimetric - 200 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 200 kPa |
| WG0100 | Water retention gravimetric - 100 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 100 kPa |
| WG0033 | Water retention gravimetric - 33 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 33 kPa |
| WG0010 | Water retention gravimetric - 10 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 10 kPa |
| WG0006 | Water retention gravimetric - 6 kPa | g/100g | Soil moisture content by weight, at tension 6 kPa |
| WV1500 | Water retention volumetric - 1500 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 1500 kPa |
| WV0500 | Water retention volumetric - 500 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 500 kPa |
| WV0200 c | Water retention volumetric - 200 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 200 kPa |
| WV0100 | Water retention volumetric - 100 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 100 kPa |
| WV0033 | Water retention volumetric - 33 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 33 kPa |
| WV0010 | Water retention volumetric - 10 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 10 kPa |
| WV0006 c | Water retention volumetric - 6 kPa | cm³/100cm³ | Soil moisture content by volume, at tension 6 kPa |
| CFAO | Soil classification FAO | Classification of the soil profile according to specified edition (year) of the FAO-Unesco Legend (up to soil unit level) | |
| CWRB | Soil classification WRB | Classification of the soil profile according to specified edition (year) of the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB, up to qualifier level) | |
| CSTX | Soil classification Soil Taxonomy | Classification of the soil profile according to specified edition (year) of the USDA Soil Taxonomy (up to subgroup level) | |
| DSDS | Depth of soil - sampled | cm | Total depth of soil sampled |
| HODS | Horizon designation | Horizon designation as provided in the source database b |
Notes:
a The fine earth fraction is generally defined as being < 2 mm. However, an upper limit of 1 mm was used in the former Soviet Union and its sattelite states (Katchynsky scheme). This has been indicated in the database, see here.
b Where available, the 'cleaned' (original) layer/horizon designation is provided for general information; these codes have not been standardised (see Bridges EM 1993 and Gerasimova et al. 2013). When horizon designations are not provided in the source data bases, we have flagged all layers with an upper depth given as being negative (e.g -10 to 0 cm that is using pre-1993 conventions; see WoSIS Procedures Manual 2018, p. 24, footnote 9) in the source databases as being 'litter' layers (i.e. organic layers at the surface of a mineral soil).
c Please note that there are still very few observations for several soil properties in wosis_latest (e.g., WV0006 and PHBA), and these are not being served. Hopefully, this will change in the future as new data sets are shared for consideration in WoSIS. Do you want to share data, please click here for more information.
d The following CODEs, for extractable-P methods, have been changed in the 2022 version of wosis_latest. The 'old' names are given between brackets in the table, e.g. [PHPMH3] .
If you have a WoSIS-related question that is not addressed on our FAQ page, please post your question in our public mailing list by sending an email to isric-world-soil-information@googlegroups.com. You may join the group here.