ROCZNIKI GLEBOZNAWCZE, T. X X X II, NR 3, W ARSZA W A 1Ö81
S T A N IS Ł A W K O W A L IŃ SK I, R EG IN A T R U SZ K O W SK A
SOIL INFORMATION SYSTEM (BIGLEB) IN POLAND IN THE PERIOD 1976-1980
P o lish S o il S c ie n c e S o ciety , W orking G roup on S o il In fo rm a tio n S y ste m (BIG LEB)
IN TR O D U C TIO N
An increased dem and for inform ation on soil results from the neces sity of agricultural and forest production intensification, at a sim ulta neous observance of principles of protection and renovation of soil resources. Therefore, the following questions should be answ ered before taking any economic decisions [12] :
— w hat effect would exert the realization of the given economic decision on the qualitative and quantitative state of exploitation of soil resources,
— w here should be located undertakings, expenditures and product ion means, so as their distribution could ensure an effective m anagem ent of soil resources and other n atu ral environm ent elements,
— w hat means should be applied for renovation of soil and for protection against degradation caused by necessary economic develop m ent of the country on the m acro- and microregion scale.
In order to get inform ation supporting the economic decisions in the scope mentioned, the introduction into basic pedologie investigations of system analysis, integrating quantitative and qualitative soil proper ties in an arrangem ent connected w ith wholeness of natu ral and eco nomic conditions, should be necessary. In this connection, inform ation systems, applying, among other thigs, teledetection and ground m onito ring methods for investigation of analysis and estim ation of soil resour ces and other environm ent elem ents [1, 5, 6, 8, 9] are designed and introduced in m any countries. The above techniques and methods, at simultaneous application of classical investigation methods :
— render possible to get a complex characteristics of soil,
238 S. K owaliński, H. Truszkowska
in a definite form the inform ation adapted to curren t social and economic needs.
Beside the above basic aims of the use of inform ation for pedologie investigations, there is still other im portant reason, justifying the need of organization of soil inform ation system in Poland. We dispose, namely, of a very rich source docum entation of the hitherto results of pedologie investigations. The collections of data comprise several ten thousand descriptions of soil profiles, several hundred thousand laboratory analysis results concerning soil abundance and soil-agricultural and soil classifica tion maps covering about 90°/o of the country territory. This docum ent ation in the source form is dispersed among different economic units. Therefore, working out this basis syntheses of problems and soil estimates is practically impossible.
Use of the disposable docum entation is possible only through the inform ation system, the application of which would contribute to the repeated and manifold use the respective data, w ithout repetition of expensive area and laboratory soil investigations.
The Presidium of the Chief Board of Polish Soil Science Society, while taking into consideration the above aspects, introduced in 1976 a new problem into the plan of research works, concerning out principles and methods of designing and extension of soil inform ation system in Poland, defined as BIGLEB. In view of an interdisciplinai character of the above problem, a special Working Groug consisting of 20 specia lists (pedologists, agricultural chemists, physicists, ecologists and infor m ation specialists) has been called into being.
The respective works have been included into the research plan of the Section of A gricultural and Forest Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences.
The BIGLEB system designing principles were based mostly on analogic works carried out by the Working Group on Inform ation System called into being in 1975 w ithin the fram ew ork of the Internatio nal Soil Science Society (ISSS) [3, 5, 6].
The results obtained from the executed works on the BIGLEB system constituted a contribution to the establishm ent of the soil data bank, designed w ithin the fram ew ork of the CMEA research problems.
G EN ER A L C H A R A C T E R IST IC S OF THE BIG LEB SY STE M
A i m s o f t h e B I G L E B s y s t e m . The basic aim of the BIGLEB system is collection of the data on soil and th eir storage in the data bank at subsequent processing of these data into inform ation of a definite range, form and shape in adaptation to the social, economic and scientific research demand as well as the transfer of the processed inform ation at an appropriate, i.e. real time, at which the given
Soil information system BIGLEB in Poland 2 39
m ation or the inform ation set would be necessary for taking definite decisions. Therefore, the aim of the system concerns sim ultaneously the introduction into pedologie investigations of rem ote observation methods of n atu ral environm ent as well as continuous ground investigations use of an appropriate m easuring im plem ents w ith possibly autom atized recording of m easurem ent results (soil monitoring {1, 9]). The range of the BIGLEB system is presented in Fig. 1.
Beside the basic aim, the BIGLEB system should attain also a num ber of subsidiary aims, in particular :
— making use of the disposable sets of data on soils, gained in the hitherto pedologie investigations,
— introduction of unified methods of soil investigation and other n atu ral environm ent elements,
— im provem ent of the processing of results of current investigations conducted by introduction of unified data recording patterns,
— reduction of expenditures for pedologie expertises by means of repeated use of investigations,
— objectivization of the estim ation of qualitative state of soils, — getting in due time inform ation on soil for economic needs, — m aking possible application of soil system analysis in connection w ith other natu ral environm ent elements and economic branches,
— carrying out esearch works on development of the system,
— organization of an efficient cooperation of the BIGLEB system w ith other inform ation systems,
— coordination of cooperation w ith the BIGLEB system of various organizational units acting both as disposers of source data or as users of the system.
S u b j e c t o f i n t e r e s t o f t h e B I G L E B s y s t e m . The sub ject of interest of the BIGLEB system is an arrangem ent of inform ation on soil for determ inaton of relatively homogenic soil units, w hich are : an elem entary n atu ral soil unit (pedon) and a useful soil unit (Fig. 2).
Both these types of homogenic units have been distinguished w ith regard to their features. These features are determ ined according to the assumd system of classification of soil.
In relation to the identification of an elem entary soil unit, the follo wing properties are taken into consideration : geographic situation, cli m atic conditions, soil processes and special soil properties : morphologic al, physical, chemical and biological ones.
In relation to the identification of a useful soil unit, beside natu ral features, such features of soil as utilization kind, production effects of soil, reclam ation state, intensity of agronomy measures, soil contam ina tion and degradation state, have been taken into consideration.
Homogenic soil units occur on very small areas, and therefore in the model of the BIGLEB system interest subject, a spatial homotonic u n it
240 S. Kowaliński, H. Truszkowska
of soil has been distinguished. It is an area w ith a definite spatial stru ctu re type of homogenic units. These units are distinguished also w ithin the fram ew ork of an assumed classification system of spatial soil stru ctu re types. The application of the above spatial systems of soils enables to get inform ation on the distinguished types of soil units, to determ ine significant differences between them and to compare them m utually w ith regard to qualirative and quantitative features. The in form ation delivered by the BIGLEB system concerns particularly homo genic and homotonic soil units and comprises :
— characteristics of elem entary soil units, — characteristics of soil profile horizons,
— characteristics of soil predisposition for a definite economic utilization,
— characteristics of particular soil features lim iting its economic utilization,
— estim ation of soil resources,
— estim ation of demand for means of form ation and protection of soils,
— forecast of soil transform ation lines, — different param eters and soil indices.
S t r u c t u r e o f t h e BIGLEB s y s t e m . A general stru ctu ral and functional scheme of the BIGLEB system is presented in Fig. 3. In this scheme, the division and connections of three basic elements of the inform ation system, i.e. input, processing and output, have been taken into consideration.
The input into the system are data collected by different methods and recorded in the form and shape suitable for placem ent in the computer. The data are processed according to program s of different type : record ing, analytic and recording and analytic and decision types. The output from the system constitute data in different them atical approaches and in different forms tabulogram s, diagrams and prints of maps. The output inform ation can be p ut in order according to different reference systems : problem atic, spatial and organizational ones, in accordance w ith needs of definite users of the system.
D IV ISIO N OF THE BIG LEB SY STEM INTO C O M PLEM ENTA RY SU B S Y S T E M S The BIGLEB system was divided for practical reasons, facilitating its extension, into com plem entary specialistic subsystems. The pedologie investigations are carried out w ithin organizational fram ew ork of dif ferent branches : agriculture, forestry, land adm inistration and natural environm ent protection and academic education. Therefore, it is m uch easier to extend particular subsystems than to try to extend im mediately an integrated system. The com plem entary subsystems form a certain hie
Soil information system BIGLEB in Poland 241
rarchical m utually supplem ental system. The connections between particular subsystems are illustrated in Fig. 4.
The first group embodies subsystems (of the cartography of arable (KAR), grassland (KAZ) and forest (KAL) soils), containing inform ation on the spatial structure of soil units and their morphological features, profile structure, its thickness, texture, structure, hue to genetic horizons and other soil properties determ ined in the course of field investigations. This group of subsystems comprises also data concerning other elements of n atu ral environm ent and its m anagem ent state.
All these data are collected according to the |network of m arked fields constituting spatial reference system of data in the BIGLEB system. These subsystems should sim ultaneously ensure the delivery of soil sample taken from the profiles under study for laboratory analyses.
The subject of interest of the next group of subsystems is collecting and processing of results of the soil sample analyses and of results obtained by area investigations on physical (FIZ), chemical (CHEM) and biological (BIO) processes and properties of soil as well as of soil process (PROC) dynamics.
The th ird group constitute the subsystems of regionalization (REG), protection (OCHR), reclam ation (MEL) and productivity (PROD) com prising inform ation on the state and the economic estim ation of soil resources w ith consideration of connections of soil functions w ith n atu ral environm ent and lines of farm ing.
The first group of subsystems ensurens, first of all, soil maps of dif ferent scales and in different them atical approaches.
The second group of subsystems supplies unified tabulogram s w ith the results of soil analyses and m athem atical and statistical calculations based on data from m easured physical and chemical properties according to the spatial soil units or to definite soil processes.
The th ird group of subsystems of the BIGLEB system enables the estim ation of soil resources in spatial approach and the forecast of transform ations of these resources at assumed lines and intensity of managem ent of soils.
From each subsystem among the m entioned ones the inform ation is selectioned to constitute a m ain base of data for the BIGLEB system.
R EA L IZ A T IO N ST A T E OF TH E BIG L E B SY STEM D E SIG N IN G A N D IM PL EM E N T A T IO N
Works carried out in the period 1976-1980 belong to the following three them atical groups [7] :
— basic and m ethodical elaborations for the BIGLEB system,
— designs and tentative extensions of com plem entary subsystems in the BIGLEB system,
242 S. Kowaliński, R. Truszkowska
— designing and extension of data file (BKA-BIGLEB), comprising collections of data obtained from the available source documentations.
In the first them atical group the following works have been comple ted and published :
— idea of designing and extension of the BIGLEB system [4],
— spatial reference system of data and inform ation in the BIGLEB system [1],
— form ulae and dictionaries of recording data and of soil investiga tions w ithin the BIGLEB system — p a rt I [10].
In the course of elaboration are the following problems of this group : — identification features of diagnostical horizons of soil units,
— application of teledection methods for spatial characteristics of soil, exem plified by the Leszczyński district,
— methods of application of electronic im plem ents for plotting soil maps,
— the Und p art of the dictionary comprising the indices of record ing laboratory analysis results of soil samples.
In the second them atical group comprising designing and extension of com plem entary subsystems of the BIGLEB system the following sub systems are worked out being at different stages of development :
— Technical design of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem, concerning cartography of arable soils (KAR-BIGLEB).
— Assumptions for technical design of BIGLEB inform ation sub system concerning cartography of meadow soils (KAZ-BIGLEB).
— Assumptions for technical design of BIGLEB inform ation sub system concerning cartography of forest soils (KAL-BIGLEB).
— Technical design of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning physical properties of soil (FIZ-BIGLEB).
— Technical design of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning chemical properies of soils (CHEM-BIGLEB).
— Concept of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning biological properties of soils (BIO-BIGLEB).
— Technical design and tentative extension of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning w ater processes in soils (PROC-WOD-BIGLEB).
— Technical design and tentative extension of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning productivity of soils (PROD-BIGLEB).
— Project of adaptation of the BIGLEB-MER-BIGLEB system ex tended and made use of by the C entral Land Reclamation Designing Office.
— Concept and design assumptions of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning regionalization of oil (REG-BIGLEB).
— Concept of BIGLEB inform ation subsystem concerning protection of soil (OCHR-BIGLEB).
Soil information system BIGLEB in Poland 243
In the th ird them atical group of completed elaborations, the following data file of the BIGLEB system have been designed and extended :
— Data file (BKA-90) on pedological, n atu ral and utilization con ditions of soil in a review scale. This data file is used by the Polish Soil Science Society and enables getting prints of mosaic maps in the scale of 1 : 500 000 which show results of soil estim ation carried out w ith use of different criteria [И].
— Data file concerning location and basic features of soil units (BKA-01) ; this data file is established according to adm inistration units and m arked fields ; hitherto the data from 5 districts have been recorded.
— D ata file (BKA-20) of results of the statistical analysis of data on soil profiles examined in the course of cartographic works.
The hitherto elaborations w ithin the fram ew ork of the BIGLEB system are used by various scientific and economic bodies for needs of :
— spatial m anagem ent planning the m acroregional scale,
— regionalization of agronomy and agricultural chem istry measures, — designing drainage reclam ations of soils,
— forecasts of grassland irrigations,
— other problems connected w ith rationalization of the m anagem ent of soil resources and prediction of yields.
The development of soil inform ation system in a scheme correlated w ith the wholeness of n atu ral conditions and economic system requires fu rth er interdisciplina (complex) investigations. In this connection, the introduction into research plan for the period 1981-1985 of the problem “Optim ization of m anagem ent of soil resources and prediction of yields” has been proposed by the Polish Soil Science Society and it has been approved as an interbranch problem.
R EFEREN CES
[1] B a r r e t t H. C., C u r t i s L. F. : E n v iro n m en ta l rem ote sen sin g ap p lica tio n s and a ch iev em en t. G reat B ritain , 1974.
[2] В u 1 i с z R. : S ch em e of th e sp a tia l refe r e n c e of data and in fo rm a tio n on the BIG LEB sy stem . P race K om . V 35 PTG , W arsaw 1977.
[3] G u id elin es for th e coding of soil data (1 st draft). FAO, A G L /M IS C /77/ 6th M ay 1977.
[4] К o w a 1 i ń s к i S., T r u s z k o w s k a R. et al. : C oncept of th e BIG LEB in fo rm a tio n sy stem on soil. P race K om . N auk. PTG V/34, W arsaw 1977. [5] P ro ceed in g s of th e m eetin g of th e IS S S W orking G roup on S o il Iin fo rm a tio n
S y stem s. W agen in gen , th e N eth erla n d s, S ep tem b er 1— 4, 1975.
[6] P roceedin gs of the m eeting of the IS S S W orking Group on S oil Inform ation S y stem , M ay 29-31, V arna 1977.
[7] R eports on th e r e su lts of d esig n in g and e x te n s io n of the BIG LEB system . G rupa Rob. S y stem u BIG LEB , PTG , 1976-1979.
244 S. Kowaliński, R. Truszkowska
[8] R esearch R eport, 1973-1977. D iv is io n of L and U se R esearch , O SIBO , C an berra, A u stra lia .
[9] T r u s z k o w s k a R. : P ro b lem s of d esig n in g and e x te n s io n of the en v iro n m en t m on itorin g sy ste m in P olan d . B iu l. Inst. K szt. Srod., S p e c ia l issu e, W arsaw 1975.
[10] T r u s z k o w s k a R. : F orm u lae and d ictio n a ry of record ing data on soil p ro file in th e B IG LEB system . P a rt I. P ra ce Kom . N au k V /38 PTG , W arsaw 1979.
[11] T r u s z k o w s k a R., T o k a r s k i R. : D ata file on th e geographic en v iro n m en t in a r e v ie w sca le and its u tiliz a tio n p rogram m e. C zło w iek i Orodowisko, 1, 1977, 1, W arsaw .
[12] T r u s z k o w s k a R. : E stim ation m ethod of n a tu ra l con d ition s of agricu ltu re in a r e v ie w scale. Zesz. probl. P ost. N au k rol. 224, 1979.
S. K OW ALIŃSKI, R. TRUSZKOW SKA
SY STE M IN FO R M A T Y C Z N Y O ŚR O D O W ISK U GLEBOW YM (BIG LEB) W PO LSC E
P o lsk ie T o w a rzy stw o G leb o zn a w cze G rupa R obocza S y stem u BIG LEB
S t r e s z c z e n i e
M ając na celu za sp o k o jen ie zap o trzeb o w a n ia gosp od arczego na in fo rm a cje 0 g leb a ch oraz p otrzeb ę w p ro w a d zen ia k o m p lek so w y ch badań gleb w u k ład zie w sp ó łza leżn y m z u k ła d a m i w a ru n k ó w p rzyrod n iczych i gosp od arczych , P o lsk ie T o w a rzy stw o G leb o zn a w cze p row ad zi od 1976 r. bad an ia oraz k oord yn u je p r o je k to w a n ie i w d ra ża n ie sy stem u BIG L E B . K on cep cję sy stem u opracow aną przez G rupę R oboczą S y stem u B IG LEB ilu stru ją rys. 1, 2, 3, 4.
P r o jek to w a n ie i w d ro żen ie k o m p lem en ta rn y ch p o d sy stem ó w jest ob ecn ie w różn ym sta n ie za a w a n so w a n ia . W drożone zo sta ły już k a rto tek i d an ych (B K A - -B IG L E B ) ob ejm u ją ce w y b ra n e zb iory in fo rm a cji o śro d o w isk u g leb o w y m . N a p o d sta w ie k a rto tek i B K A -90 u zy sk u je się w y d ru k i m ap w sk a li 1 : 500 000, o b ej m u jące różne u jęcia ocen y stan u zasob ów g leb o w y ch w ed łu g ob szarów w o je w ó d z tw 1 całego k raju.
Z p o d sta w o w y ch u sta le ń sy stem u BIG LEB opracow ano i za sto so w a n o układ o d n iesien ia p rzestrzen n ego d an ych i in fo rm a cji, k tó ry m są sia tk i pól zn aczon ych w różn ych sk alach oraz „w zory i sło w n ik i do n o to w a n ia w y n ik ó w badań pro filó w g leb w sy stem ie B IG L E B ”.
Z akres w y k o n a n y ch prac, szczeg ó ln ie u sta le n ia p o d sta w o w e dla rozw oju sy stem u , jak też w d rożon e jego e le m e n ty , w sk a z u je na p o trzeb ę ich k o n ty n u a cji w p la n ie badań w la ta ch 1981-1985.
P ro /, dr S t a n i s l a w K o w a l i ń s k i P o ls k ie T o w a r z y s t w o G l e b o z n a w c z e W a r sz a w a , ul. W i ś n i o w a 61
