GIS technology application for identification of peat bog soils for updating the digital soil map of Karelia

Abstract

Updating of information in digital regional soil maps is addressed. The conversion of the soil map of Karelia (SMK) into vector format encountered the problem of properly placing a majority of peat bog soil contours into the existing classification. Therefore, methodological studies were carried out to enable rectification and updating of the SMK digital version. A procedure for identification of peat bog soil massifs was suggested for the purpose of updating the information using modern GIS technology. Corrections were made to the map contents relying on the information available in thematic maps, satellite images, up-to-date relief and hydrographic data. The first step was to establish correlations between legends in the initial map and further cartographic materials. The updated data were fed into the attributive database of soils, which is automatically linked to soil contours. In the process, some hindrances to the typological identification of wetland soils were revealed, and various methodological solutions to deal with them were worked out. The new block of “meso-eutrophic peat bog soils” was added to the legend of the map, since information about the typology of wetland soils has been expanded since the making of the original SMK. As a result of the effort, the number of unidentified mire contours in the digital SMK was reduced from 83.7 to 7.2%. Data regarding the peat bog soils present in SMK were thus updated. That said, the contours of some large mire massifs will have to be modified at the next stage of the work.