Digital soil assessments: Beyond DSM

Over the last 10 years Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) has emerged as a credible alternative to traditional soil mapping. However, DSM should not be seen as an end in itself, but rather as a technique for providing data and information for a new framework for soil assessment which we call Digital Soil Assessment (DSA). Although still somewhat fluid, a procedural framework for DSM and DSA with its links and feedbacks is set out diagrammatically and discussed. A significant advantage inter alia of DSM over conventional methods in this context is the intended provision of estimates of predictor uncertainties. DSA comprises three main processes: (1) soil attribute space inference, (2) evaluation of soil functions and the threats to soils, and (3) risk assessment and the development of strategies for soil protection. Digital Soil Risk Assessment (DSRA) consists of integrating political, social, economical parameters and general environmental threats to DSA outputs for building, modelling and testing some scenarios about environmental perspectives. The procedure as a whole is illustrated using an example.