Surveillance des sols dans l'environnement par télédétection et systèmes d'information géographiques = Monitoring soils in the environment with remote sensing and GIS

Abstract

A case is presented for the use of a soils database which is capable of storing and handling information at different scales of operation. Such a system, a World Soils and Terrain digital database (SOTER), has been developed at the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) for use at a global scale as well as for individual continents or countries. Trials of this system has been carried out in several parts of the world and it is now ready for wider application. Compilation of databases and the development of database handling systems for soil information currently are an important area of development in soil science and will help in the attempts being made to identify soils for use on a sustainable basis, especially in the developing countries. With an increasing population demanding greater agricultural production, the pressure on soils will become more intense and there is, therefore, an urgent need to recognize which soils are sufficiently resilient to stand up to the demands made upon them. Planners responsible for development need to have soil information easily available so that land use decisions can be made in the light of the best information available. (Résumé d'auteur