Mapping Soil Genotypes and Phenotypes in the Wisconsin Central Sand Plain.

The soils of the Central Sand Plain of Wisconsin are coarsely textured and they are widely used for agriculture (potatoes), and minor areas are under tree crops (pinus) and prairie vegetation. Land management in the agricultural fields involves irrigation, leveling, and regular fertilizer and lime additions. Our research is conducted in Adams County, Wisconsin, and the total mapping area is approximately 29 km². The landform of this area is an outwash plain and the three main soil types are Lamellic Udipsamments, Typic Udipsamments, and to a lesser extent Arenic Hapludalfs. At one point in time all soils were similar (the genotype), and with different land uses the soils have gradually evolved into subtle phenotypes. The research is focused on pedogenic and spatial differences in the soil and how that is determined by different land uses. Surveys have been conducted using electromagnetic induction (EMI) and ground penetrating radar (GPR), in combination with field observations to map the soils at a high resolution. Our approach in mapping these phenotypes was having several transects across the landscape to find trends in soil variation as a result of differences in land use. The overall aim of our research is that the mapping approach and genotype/phenotype approach can be used to update the soil series information held in the SSURGO maps.