Topographic Indices for Mapping Soil Attributes Over Large Areas In British Columbia, Canada.

Digital soil mapping relies on the use of topographic covariates to predict soil types and attributes. Where topographic variation is high, as it is the mountainous areas of British Columbia, Canada, the analysis of digital elevation models can explain large amounts of variation in soil properties. We describe an approach using topographic indices derived from a 100m DEM to predict parent materials and soil properties over large areas of southern British Columbia. Predictions were carried out on case study areas using ArcSIE software, and validated by field sampling. We derived maps of soil properties, and evaluated the results in an area of varied topography, geology, climate and vegetation.