IGBP-DIS: Global Gridded Soil Characteristics

Global surfaces of seven key soil characteristics at a 5x5 arc-minute resolution. The data surfaces, including soil-carbon density, total nitrogen density, and water-holding capacity, were generated by the IGBP-DIS SoilData System using a statistical bootstrapping approach linking pedon records to the FAO/UNESCO Digital Soil Map of the World. These derived surfaces are suitable for global modeling and inventory purposes.

Use Cases

• Modeling global carbon cycles based on soil-carbon density surfaces.
• Assessing agricultural water availability using profile available water capacity and wilting point data.
• Estimating soil nutrient stocks for total nitrogen density.
• Parameterizing land surface models with bulk density and thermal capacity data.

Strengths

• Contains seven specific, modeled soil parameter surfaces explicitly named in the source.
• Provides global coverage at a consistent 5x5 arc-minute spatial resolution.
• Generated by a recognized international program (IGBP-DIS) using a documented statistical methodology.

Limitations

• Metadata conflicts on freshness: one platform lists a 2026 update date while another indicates a 1996 publication date.
• Specific row/column counts and file sizes are not provided, limiting precise technical assessment.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without details.

Provenance

Source

SoilData System developed by the Global Soil Data Task of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) Data and Information Services (DIS).

Collection Method

Statistical bootstrapping linking pedon records from the Global Pedon Database to the FAO/UNESCO Digital Soil Map of the World.

Freshness

2026-04-10 02:26:28.448340

Geography

Global