Digital Soil Mapping of the Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area
Topics:
Keywords: soil, digital landscapes, geoprocessing
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract
Authors:
Avery Dyson, The University of Texas at Austin
Emma Dyson, The University of Texas at Austin
Byron Smith, The University of Texas at Austin
Timothy Beach, The University of Texas at Austin
Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, The University of Texas at Austin
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Abstract
The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area of northwest Belize is a vital region for the
conservation of natural resources and the preservation of cultural heritage in an area
undergoing severe deforestation. Geoarchaeological studies in the region over the last two
decades have emphasized the effects of ancient Maya ingenuity on soil formation over the last
millennia. However, that research is hindered by the area’s remoteness, often making fieldwork—and thus traditional soil mapping—expensive and time-consuming. Still, there remains a
need for a soil map to better enable the investigation of the spatial variability of soils as they
relate to climate, vegetation, geology, topography, and time. Here we introduce the first digital
soil map of this region which will aid in efforts to conserve biodiversity and to promote future
research by improving understandings of soil geographies along this karst landscape. For this
project, we utilize high-resolution remote sensing and synthesize previously collected soil data
in this region to develop an interactive and iterative predictive soil mapping model using Google
Earth Engine and modeling equations such as “scorpan”. Our model highlights the effects of
topography and the environment on the spatial distribution of soils with Rendolls, Alfisols, and
Inceptisols in upland regions and along backslopes, and Mollisols, Histosols, and Vertisols in
the lowlands. These results will be scrutinized by ground-truthing during the summer of 2023.
Digital Soil Mapping of the Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area
Category
Poster Abstract
