Australian Soil Resource Information
System
The Australian Soil Resource Information System (ASRIS)
provides online access to the best available soil and land resource
information in a consistent format across the country. ASRIS has
been developed for a broad range of users including natural resource
managers, educational institutions, planners, researchers, and
community groups. The initial phase of ASRIS has had an emphasis on data acquisition to ensure the continuity of a national dataset. A set of interpretations are currently being developed to demonstrate ASRIS's capabilities.
ASRIS uses a hierarchy of
mapping units with seven levels. The upper three levels provide
descriptions of soils and landscapes across the complete continent.
Lower levels provide more detailed information where field surveys
have been completed. A consistent set of land
qualities is described for map units (tracts). Descriptions
from the lowest level feed into summaries at higher levels. Information
relates to soil thickness, water storage, permeability, salinity,
fertility, and erodibility. ASRIS includes a soil profile database
with fully characterized and representative sites.
Estimates of uncertainty are a feature of the system. A distinction
is made between attribute uncertainty (due to measurement for
a given soil material) and spatial uncertainty (due to natural
variation across a landscape). These estimates are provided to
encourage formal analysis of the uncertainty of predictions generated
using ASRIS data (e.g. crop yield, runoff, land suitability).
ASRIS is being released in stages. At the end of 2007 the upper
levels will be completed across the country. There will be a restricted
coverage at lower levels. Data will also be available for approximately
10,000 representative profiles.
ASRIS will include the original ASRIS 2001 soil information layers
for the country in cases where improved coverages have not been
generated. Contact the ASRIS team
for further information.
Download the ASRIS Promotional Flyer (3 MB PDF)
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