6. Soil Capability for the USA Now and into the Future

Historically, the US National Cooperative Soil Survey used soil properties to define soil capability and function primarily for farm, forestry, and grazing land practices. The maps, which are consolidated into an official web-based database, are derived from a framework of land classification, combined soil properties (both estimated and measured), and land management classification. The mapping was originally conceived as a practical tool to provide farmers and community planners with information on the basic soil resource for economic gain. For more than 75 years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) has used land capability classification as a tool for planning conservation measures and practices on farms so that the land could be used without serious deterioration from erosion or other causes. The land capability classification is one of innumerable methods of land classification based on broad interpretations of soil qualities and other site and climatic characteristics. Modern soil surveys have evolved to portray soil interpretations and soil capability both geospatially and with data analysis. As the functionality of the National Soil Survey Information System (NASIS) and Soil Survey Geographic System (SSURGO) increases, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is advancing its interpretation program nationally to address security issues within the context of soil capability beyond land use and land cover. Soil capability for any potential human use or ecosystem service must be assessed within the context of soil properties, either measured or estimated. Using soil security as a framework (including capability, condition, capital, connectivity, and codification), soil interpretations of the US National Cooperative Soil Survey database may be tailored to address the questions of sustainability and climate change at local, regional, and global scales and to facilitate the transfer of technology to other countries and related scientific disciplines.