NCSS Soil Characterization Database / Lab Data Mart¶
| Field | Current catalog entry |
|---|---|
| Provider | NCSS Soil Characterization Database, often called Lab Data Mart or KSSL data |
| Organization | USDA-NRCS National Soil Survey Center / Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory and partners |
| Coverage | U.S. pedons with additional contributed records; spatial density is uneven |
| Data type | Observed laboratory and field characterization by pedon and horizon |
| Properties | Physical, chemical, mineralogical, taxonomic, and method metadata; availability varies by sample |
| Spatial resolution | Point pedons; coordinates and disclosure precision vary |
| Depths | Sampled horizons with variable boundaries |
| Access | Public query/download tools and Pedon Map interfaces; final adapter path still under evaluation |
| Authentication | No authentication expected for public releases; verify selected service |
| Rate limits | Not yet verified for a selected adapter path |
| License and citation | Must be verified for the selected release and contributing records before integration |
| OpenSoil status | planned |
Why it is different¶
These are measured characterization records, not representative map-unit values. They are a high-priority second adapter because they can answer questions that SSURGO cannot. They also require careful treatment of analytical method, detection limits, sampled depth, date, coordinate precision, and contributor-specific terms.
OpenSoil will not join a nearby pedon to a field and imply that it represents that field. A future adapter will retain pedon/horizon identifiers, sample dates, methods, original units, and spatial-distance warnings.