ISO/TC 190/WG 2 - Terminology and data management

This document provides guidance on the description of soil in the field and its environmental context. It is applicable to natural, near-natural, urban and industrial sites. The soil observations and measurements can be made on a project site level, on a plot level, on layer or horizon level and on specific soil constituents. It also provides guidance on how to describe layers of anthropogenic (artificial) material or layers that were not modified by pedogenic processes in the strict sense and how to describe coarse material of natural or artificial origin. This document can be used in combination with other publications that provide guidance or requirements regarding specific aspects of soil observations and measurements. NOTE 1 It might not be possible or necessary to record data under all the headings listed in Clauses 4 to 11. NOTE 2 Overall guidance for presentation of information from soil surveys is given in ISO 15903. NOTE 3 The guidance provided assumes that sampling will be done in accordance with ISO 18400.

ISO 28258:2013 describes how to digitally exchange soil-related data. It aims to facilitate the exchange of valid, clearly described and specified soil-related data between individuals and organizations via digital systems, and enables any soil data producer, holder or user to find and transfer data in an unambiguous way. It contains definitions of features, several parameter specifications and encoding rules that allow consistent and retrievable data exchange. It also allows the explicit geo-referencing of soil data by building on other International Standards, thus facilitating the use of soil data within geographical information systems (GIS). Because soil data are of various origins and are obtained according to a huge variety of description and classification systems, ISO 28258:2013 provides no attribute catalogue, but a flexible approach to the unified encoding of soil data by implementing the provisions of ISO 19156 observations and measurements (OM) for use in soil science.

The purpose of this International Standard is to achieve a high degree of harmonization in reporting results of on-site recording, sampling, on-site sample analyses and laboratory analyses of soil samples. To this end, it provides instructions for correctly specifying the quantities and units used to express results of analyses, the methods used and their precision. This International Standard also provides information to allow unique referencing of the sample, in both field and laboratory contexts, in order to ensure the traceability of the results.

ISO 15709:2002 gives a simplified theory of the physics of soil water in the unsaturated zone and defines a set of terms, quantities, units and symbols used in the field of soil physics investigation of the unsaturated zone. ISO 15709:2002 is applicable only to standards on soil physical investigations of the unsaturated zone (including swelling soils) elaborated within ISO/TC 190. ISO 15709:2002 specifically excludes macropore flow.