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GlOSIS Ontology: Profile module

Release: 23-12-2024

Modified on: 06-02-2025
This version:
http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/1.5.1
Revision:
1.5.1
Authors:
Raul Palma, PSNC
Bogusz Janiak, PSNC
W3C/OGC Spatial Data on the Web Working Group
Luís Moreira de Sousa, Técnico ULisboa
Imported Ontologies:
http://www.w3.org/ns/ssn/
http://www.w3.org/ns/sosa/
http://w3id.org/glosis/model/codelists/
http://w3id.org/glosis/model/common/
http://w3id.org/glosis/model/iso28258/2013/
Download serialization:
JSON-LD RDF/XML N-Triples TTL
License:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/ License
Visualization:
Visualize with WebVowl
Provenance of this page
GloSIS Ontology Specification Draft

Abstract

This ontology is one of the modules comprising Global Soil Information System (GloSIS) ontology. The GloSIS ontology was developed part of the SIEUSOIL project, which aims at implementing and testing a shared China-EU Web Observatory platform that will provide Linked (Open) Data to monitor status and threats of soil and land resources. The GloSIS ontology enables the representation of soil related data in semantic format. The ontology has been derived from the UML GLOSIS data model v1.0, and it has been created in line with best practices and methodologies, reusing existing standard models and ontologies, including sosa/ssn for the representation of measurements, or SKOS for the representation of codelists.

Introduction back to ToC

This module contains the classes and properties to describe a soil profile, which is a describable representation of the soil that is characterised by a vertical succession of horizons or at least one or several parent materials layers. Soil profile is an ordered set of soil horizons and/or layers.

GloSIS Ontology: Main module: Overview back to ToC

This ontology has the following classes and properties.

Classes

Named Individuals

Rules

Cross-reference for GloSIS Ontology: Main module classes, object properties and data properties back to ToC

This section provides details for each class and property defined by GloSIS Ontology: Main module.

Classes

GL_Profilec back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/GL_Profile

Specialization for GloSIS of ISO iso28258 Profile soil feature type, defined as an abstract, ordered set of soil horizons and/or layers
Data model for the Global Soil Information System (GloSIS) v1.0, edited by Tomas Reznik and Katharina Schleidt
has super-classes
feature of interest, profile

ProfileDescriptionStatusc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/ProfileDescriptionStatus

Profile Description Status refers to the documentation of observations made during the description of a soil profile, which includes information about soil horizons, color, texture, structure, and other physical or chemical features. This status helps assess the completeness and reliability of soil profile data, serving as a foundation for further analysis and classification. It ensures that soil characteristics are accurately recorded to support land management, agricultural practices, and environmental assessments. Source: Schoeneberger, P.J., Wysocki, D.A., Benham, E.C., & Soil Survey Staff. (2012). Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils. USDA-NRCS.
Guidelines for Soil Description issued by the FAO: table 1
has super-classes
observation

SoilClassificationc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/SoilClassification

Soil Classification is the categorization of soils into defined groups based on their physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties and their processes of formation. It provides a framework to understand soil diversity and predict soil behavior under various land-use scenarios. Systems like USDA Soil Taxonomy and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) enable effective communication among soil scientists and land managers, aiding in agricultural planning, engineering, and environmental conservation. Source: USDA-NRCS (1999). Soil Taxonomy: A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys; FAO (2015). World Reference Base for Soil Resources.
ISRIC Report 2019/01: Tier 1 and Tier 2 data in the context of the federated Global Soil Information System. Appendix 1
has super-classes
observation
has sub-classes
SoilClassificationFAO c, SoilClassificationUSDA c, SoilClassificationWRB c

SoilClassificationFAOc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/SoilClassificationFAO

The FAO Soil Classification system, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization, provides a globally applicable framework for classifying soils based on major diagnostic horizons and soil properties. It is less detailed than USDA Soil Taxonomy and focuses on key soil characteristics relevant to global land use and environmental applications. The system aims to facilitate international communication and support sustainable land management practices. Source: FAO (1990). Guidelines for Soil Profile Description.
ISRIC Report 2019/01: Tier 1 and Tier 2 data in the context of the federated Global Soil Information System. Appendix 1
has super-classes
SoilClassification c

SoilClassificationUSDAc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/SoilClassificationUSDA

The USDA Soil Classification system, also known as Soil Taxonomy, is a hierarchical framework developed by the United States Department of Agriculture for categorizing soils based on measurable properties such as texture, structure, pH, and organic matter content. It divides soils into six hierarchical levels: order, suborder, great group, subgroup, family, and series. This system provides a standardized approach to studying and managing soils, supporting land use, agriculture, and environmental conservation. Source: USDA-NRCS (1999). Soil Taxonomy: A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys
ISRIC Report 2019/01: Tier 1 and Tier 2 data in the context of the federated Global Soil Information System. Appendix 1
has super-classes
SoilClassification c

SoilClassificationWRBc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/SoilClassificationWRB

The World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is an international soil classification system endorsed by the International Union of Soil Sciences. It classifies soils into Reference Soil Groups (RSGs) based on diagnostic horizons, properties, and materials, emphasizing soil formation processes and global soil distribution. The WRB is designed to provide a common language for global soil studies and is widely used in international soil research and environmental management. Source: IUSS Working Group WRB (2015). World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014: International Soil Classification System for Naming Soils and Creating Legends for Soil Maps
ISRIC Report 2019/01: Tier 1 and Tier 2 data in the context of the federated Global Soil Information System. Appendix 1
has super-classes
SoilClassification c

Named Individuals

profileDescriptionStatusPropertyni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/profileDescriptionStatusProperty

The Profile Description Status Property indicates the level of detail and accuracy in documenting the features of a soil profile, including its horizons, texture, structure, and other observable characteristics. This property ensures that the soil profile description meets standards for completeness, enabling reliable classification and analysis. It is a critical aspect of soil studies, providing the basis for land-use planning, environmental assessment, and agricultural decision-making. Source: Schoeneberger, P.J., Wysocki, D.A., Benham, E.C., & Soil Survey Staff. (2012). Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils. USDA-NRCS.
Guidelines for Soil Description issued by the FAO: table 1
belongs to
observable property

soilTypePropertyni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC

IRI: http://w3id.org/glosis/model/profile/soilTypeProperty

The Soil Type Property categorizes soils based on their physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics, as well as their formation processes. It identifies specific soil types, such as sandy, loamy, or clayey soils, or more detailed classifications like Mollisols, Alfisols, or Vertisols, depending on the classification system used (e.g., USDA Soil Taxonomy or FAO WRB). Understanding soil type is essential for predicting soil behavior, determining suitable land uses, and managing resources effectively. Source: USDA-NRCS (1999). Soil Taxonomy: A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys; FAO (2015). World Reference Base for Soil Resources.
ISRIC Report 2019/01: Tier 1 and Tier 2 data in the context of the federated Global Soil Information System. Appendix 1
belongs to
observable property

Legend back to ToC

c: Classes
ni: Named Individuals

Acknowledgments back to ToC

The authors would like to thank Silvio Peroni for developing LODE, a Live OWL Documentation Environment, which is used for representing the Cross Referencing Section of this document and Daniel Garijo for developing Widoco, the program used to create the template used in this documentation.