Soil and Terrain Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Publication_Date: 1998

Title: Soil and Terrain Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

Edition: 1.0

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: atlas

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Rome

Publisher: FAO

Online_Linkage: <https://na.unep.net/clearinghouse/datalist.html>

Description:

Abstract:

The Soil and Terrain Database for Latin America and the Caribbean (link to doc) was created through a join project involving FAO (link to <http://www.fao.org>), ISRIC (link to <http://www.isric.nl>), UNEP (link to <http://www.unep.org>) and the national governments. This soils database is created using the SOTER methodology to update the 1:5M Soil Map of the World of FAO/Unesco.

Purpose:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) have recognized the need for updating the existing soil and terrain information that is currently available at a global scale (FAO-Unesco Soil Map of the World).

Supplemental_Information:

For the entire project area a map at scale 1:5 million with SOTER units has been compiled. It has a total of 1490 mapping units, divided over 2823 polygons. The 1490 SOTER units are further defined by 2008 terrain components. Every terrain component consists of one or more soil components, amounting to a total of 3580 Representative soil profiles have been selected for all soil components from a wide range of sources. A total of 1828 soil profiles can be found in the database. The total number of horizons of these profiles is 6525.

For 12% of the soil components no newer information on soils than that could be extracted from the FAO-Unesco SMW was available. These components do not have a profile. This is e.g. the case in a larger part of Chile.

Most attributes in the various tables are complete or nearly so with the exception of bulk density in the horizon table. With only 40% measured, this attribute has the lowest occurrence. Another gap exists in the coordinates of the location of the profiles. In some countries such information could not be found (e.g. Argentina). Other attributes missing are elevation and date of description/sampling.

The map has been drawn on the topography of the original FAO-Unesco Soil Map of the World as available in digital and hardcopy form. Mapping units (SOTER units have been digitized in ARC/Info and the attribute data stored in a relational database system (compatible with most commercial software). A special input software package was compiled for entering attribute data and creating the appropriate tables.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1993

Ending_Date: 1997

Currentness_Reference: publication date

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -120

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -31

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 36

South_Bounding_Coordinate: -60

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: Soils

Theme_Keyword: Terrain

Theme_Keyword: Landform

Theme_Keyword: Soter

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Latin America

Place_Keyword: Caribbean

Place_Keyword: South America

Place_Keyword: Central America

Place_Keyword: Mexico

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

Users of datasets supplied through UNEP GRID Sioux Falls are requested to incorporate in output products and reports acknowledgments to the originator of the data and to the fact that they were acquired through GRID. Appropriate citation would be "FAO. 1998. Soil and Terrain Database for Latin America and the Caribbean. FAO, Rome. available: UNEP GRID Sioux Falls <https://na.unep.net/> (download date) ".

Browse_Graphic:

Browse_Graphic_File_Name: <https://na.unep.net/lac/soterlac.gif>

Browse_Graphic_File_Description: Soil and Terrain Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

Browse_Graphic_File_Type: GIF - Graphic Interchange Format

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: none

Contact_Organization: UNEP/GRID-Sioux Falls

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address:

UNEP GRID Sioux Falls EROS Data Center U.S. Geological Survey

City: Sioux Falls

State_or_Province: South Dakota

Postal_Code: 57198

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 605-594-6117

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 605-594-6119

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: info@grid.cr.usgs.gov

Resource_Description: SOTERLAC

Distribution_Liability: None

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20010228

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: none

Contact_Organization: UNEP/GRID-Sioux Falls

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address:

UNEP GRID Sioux Falls EROS Data Center U.S. Geological Survey

City: Sioux Falls

State_or_Province: South Dakota

Postal_Code: 57198

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 605-594-6117

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 605-594-6119

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: info@grid.cr.usgs.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998