Premise

Soil color generally varies in a predictable pattern with depth according to surface vegetation, clay mineralogy and parent material. Highly contrasting parent geology influences soil color within Pinnacles via four main processes:

1. Original color of parent material
   sedimentary sources: grey, yellow, white
   granitic sources: yellow to orange
   volcanic sources: pink, orange, white, green
2. Landscape age
   older landscapes generally have redder hues (Fe-expression) from longer chemical weathering
3. Particle size distribution of parent material and the resulting field capacity of a soil formed from it
   coarse textures result in lower field capacities, limiting vegetation growth and subsequent accumulation of organic matter in the surface horizons
4. Weathering rate of parent material
   sedimentary materials derived from granitic sources (grey to yellow hues) have high levels of quartz and are therefore less susceptible to chemical weathering than volcanic rocks (redder hues)

 
Overview:
Description of the sampling density of completed soil survey efforts. Identification of under-sampled, critical areas (for solar-radiation modeling study), and creation of a sampling plan for spring 2007. A (nearly) design-based 'cluster random sampling' scheme (de Gruijter et al, 2006) will be used to address the main problems with collecting field samples at Pinnacles:

1. accessibility and navigation are limiting factors
2. travel time and navigation are equally problematic
3. significant gradients exist in known areas, and are of particular interest (landscape orientation and slope)

 
Note that this is a bit out of date, since several errors have been corrected. (update pending)

 
Tabluar Summaries

PINN Pano 1: Recent burn area.

 
Overview
Two illustrations describing the progress over time for two tasks: the collection of pedon data in the field, and the input of this data into PedLogic. Number of pedons associated with individual workers are summarized by day. Note that data was usually collected in teams. Click on figures for larger version.

 
Overview
Google Earth provides a flexible and open ended vizualization system for geographic data. We intend to present PINN soils data thorugh our own, 2 dimensional, interface (to avoid dependence on a quasi-free setup like GE). However, there are considerable extra features that can be added onto our presentation of the data through GE. For example, synthesized pedon data, photographs, and even geologic diagrams can be presented to the user in a 3D environment with little work on our end: we have the data, GE does the hard work of presenting it in 3D. Some early examples of what this might be like, along with links to the actual data, are presented below. Download GE and our data to give it a try for yourself.

Misc. scanned images from work at the Pinnacles National Monument, in collaboration with the NRCS and NPS. These images are the prototypes for many of the new educational materials being developed for the visitor's center and online interface to soils information. Over 300 pit descriptions were collected by NRCS staff and myself, and are currently being digitized with our own pedon management system, PedLogic. Numerous techniques for the automation of soil survey operation, digitial soil mapping, and field assistance are currently in development. Many of the detailed features which will not appear in the final soil survey product will be featured in bulletins written up for the PINN interpretive staff. It is our goal to assist the park staff in communicating the importance of soil resources as the active junction between the biosphere and the lithosphere. GIS tools used include: GRASS, PostGIS, R, GMT, and many others. A digital version of the pedon description form illustrates some of the visualization capabilities of PedLogic.