Abstract:
In the last years, digital soil mapping with specialized software
(ArcGIS, TNTmips, etc.) come into focus. In the same time, it became
noticeable that different authors assign different colors for the same type of
soil. Due to difficulties in using the colors from Soil Survey Methodology [3]
and because of the changes in Romania Soil Taxonomy System (S.R.T.S.
2003), the need for new color and symbol standards is emerging. We propose
a new color standard based on RGB values, range from 0 to 255. In this way,
each color assigned to a soil type (ex. Cernozem) will have a unique
combination of values: R 146/ G 111/ B60. The soil type colors will be
selected so that to be different. In case of colors with appropriate tones (ex.
spodosoils and salsodisoils), the map units representing soil types formed in
different geographic conditions, will be in disperse areas on the map and so,
the confusions will be removed.
The soil subtypes symbols are ranked by main characteristics. Hereby,
the subtypes associated with pedogenetic processes will be hatched with lines
oriented 45° to the right, with 0.3 or 0.5 mm thickness and 4mm space
between them (fig. 2). The GIS users, involved in digital soil mapping will
bring the same layer (representing soil types) twice, once represented by
colors assigned to each soil type and second represented by symbols
assigned for each soil subtype (hatches). The cartographers can put
additional layers such as the drainage network, the transportation network,
labels, etc.
The legend, proposed here, can be used by specialists with GIS
software or graphic design softwares.
