Service Description: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Soil Taxonomy

Service ItemId: edf7c799185742c7912bbb0e0834b738

Has Versioned Data: false

Max Record Count: 1000

Supported query Formats: JSON

Supports applyEdits with GlobalIds: False

All Layers and Tables

Layers:

• Soil Taxonomy (0)

Description: This rating presents the taxonomic classification based on Soil Taxonomy. The system of soil classification used by the National Cooperative Soil Survey has six categories (Soil Survey Staff, 1999 and 2003). Beginning with the broadest, these categories are the order, suborder, great group, subgroup, family, and series. Classification is based on soil properties observed in the field or inferred from those observations or from laboratory measurements. This table shows the classification of the soils in the survey area. The categories are defined in the following paragraphs. ORDER. Twelve soil orders are recognized. The differences among orders reflect the dominant soil-forming processes and the degree of soil formation. Each order is identified by a word ending in sol. An example is Alfisols. SUBORDER. Each order is divided into suborders primarily on the basis of properties that influence soil genesis and are important to plant growth or properties that reflect the most important variables within the orders. The last syllable in the name of a suborder indicates the order. An example is Udalfs (Ud, meaning humid, plus alfs, from Alfisols). GREAT GROUP. Each suborder is divided into great groups on the basis of close similarities in kind, arrangement, and degree of development of pedogenic horizons; soil moisture and temperature regimes; type of saturation; and base status. Each great group is identified by the name of a suborder and by a prefix that indicates a property of the soil. An example is Hapludalfs (Hapl, meaning minimal horizonation, plus udalfs, the suborder of the Alfisols that has a udic moisture regime). SUBGROUP. Each great group has a typic subgroup. Other subgroups are intergrades or extragrades. The typic subgroup is the central concept of the great group; it is not necessarily the most extensive. Intergrades are transitions to other orders, suborders, or great groups. Extragrades have some properties that are not representative of the great group but do not indicate transitions to any other taxonomic class. Each subgroup is identified by one or more adjectives preceding the name of the great group. The adjective Typic identifies the subgroup that typifies the great group. An example is Typic Hapludalfs. FAMILY. Families are established within a subgroup on the basis of physical and chemical properties and other characteristics that affect management. Generally, the properties are those of horizons below plow depth where there is much biological activity. Among the properties and characteristics considered are particle-size class, mineralogy class, cation-exchange activity class, soil temperature regime, soil depth, and reaction class. A family name consists of the name of a subgroup preceded by terms that indicate soil properties. An example is fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludalfs. SERIES. The series consists of soils within a family that have horizons similar in color, texture, structure, reaction, consistence, mineral and chemical composition, and arrangement in the profile. References: Soil Survey Staff. 1999. Soil taxonomy: A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. 2nd edition. Natural Resources Conservation Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 436. Soil Survey Staff. 2006. Keys to soil taxonomy. 10th edition. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. (The soils in a given survey area may have been classified according to earlier editions of this publication.) SSURGO depicts information about the kinds and distribution of soils on the landscape. The soil map and data used in the SSURGO product were prepared by soil scientists as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. The most common use of these data is communication of soil conditions to contractors working in the park. Additional uses of these data include analysis by park partners and researchers of the physical and chemical properties of soils, including their effect and influence on the management of natural habitats, ecosystem health, and natural resource inventory. This data set is a digital soil survey and generally is the most detailed level of soil geographic data developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. The information was prepared by digitizing maps, by compiling information onto a planimetric correct base and digitizing, or by revising digitized maps using remotely sensed and other information. This data set consists of georeferenced digital map data and computerized attribute data. The map data are in a 7.5 minute quadrangle format and include a detailed, field verified inventory of soils and nonsoil areas that normally occur in a repeatable pattern on the landscape and that can be cartographically shown at the scale mapped. A special soil features layer (point and line features) is required. This layer displays the location of features too small to delineate at the mapping scale, but they are large enough and contrasting enough to significantly influence use and management. The soil map units are linked to attributes in the Map Unit Record relational database, which gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and their properties. These data represent a specific interpretation of the SSURGO soils data produced by the NRCS, using the NRCS Soil Data Viewer version 6.0. Building site development interpretations are designed to be used as tools for evaluating soil suitability and identifying soil limitations for various construction purposes. As part of the interpretation process, the rating applies to each soil in its described condition and does not consider present land use. Example interpretations can include corrosion of concrete and steel, shallow excavations, dwellings with and without basements, small commercial buildings, local roads and streets, and lawns and landscaping. This is a hybrid data product produced using NRCS SSURGO soils data. These data should not be considered SSURGO-compliant, as data used in this product is the result of merging data from several separate SSURGO databases. The NRCS does not endorse or support this hybrid product.

Copyright Text: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Spatial Reference: 26917 (26917)

Initial Extent:

XMin: 247300.990087226
YMin: 3895821.47518754
XMax: 300323.596132439
YMax: 3977630.80547287
Spatial Reference: 26917 (26917)

Full Extent:

XMin: 226809.207885742
YMin: 3923462.85430908
XMax: 319130.852722168
YMax: 3968669.70507813
Spatial Reference: 26917 (26917)

Units: esriMeters

Child Resources:   Info

Supported Operations:   Query   Create Replica