The paper mentions some major issues considering the application of geoinformation technologies in mapping and management of soils in Croatia. Results taken from two independent projects are described. In one, use of DGPS receivers and remote sensing in soil mapping is described and in other, use of GIS tools and SGDB for decision making. GPS has proven to be efficient and powerful tool for mapping soils and navigation in the field. The accuracy of positioning (95% probability radius) ranged from 5 m for DGPS with averaging to 19.1 m for single fix DGPS and 144 m for single fix uncorrected GPS method. Landsat TM image was used to map organic matter content (%) ranging from 0 to 15% with precision of ±4.6%. GIS software was used to derive interpretation maps such as suitability for crop production, vineyards and suggest measures for the improvements and protection of soil. To objectively evaluate use of different methods of positioning, 95% probability error radius should be used. Use of the remote sensing and GIS tools is also a promising improvement. A GIS Soil Information System - soil map linked with the database of soil properties is an objective tool to come to decisions on land use. The conventional mapping units (Soil mapping units) can be replaced with the raster-based maps of single soil properties of fine grain of detail (30x30m) by using remote sensing and terrain data. The applications of these systems can bring management of soils in Croatia to a finer and more objective level -precision management.

geoinformation technologies; Geographical Information System (GIS); Global Positioning System (GPS); raster-based GIS; soil mapping

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia