NATIONAL SOIL SURVEY CENTER LINCOLN, NE USDA-NRCS

1. NASIS SOIL SURVEY INTERPRETATIONS NATIONAL SOIL SURVEY CENTER LINCOLN, NE USDA-NRCS

2. Objectives: • Introduce Properties, Rules, and Evaluations • Describe how they fit together • Describe how null data is handled • Describe a method of diagnosing problems

3. NASIS INTERPRETATION COMPONENTS • Four Components • Property • Evaluation • Subrule aka Base Rule • Interpretation aka Parent Rule

4. 1 TOO SLOPING START OR Relative Impact TOO WET 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 FLOODING SLOPE % NASIS Interpretation Approach RULE PROPERTY EVALUATION “soil has limitations for playing fields” “soil is too sloping” “slope” EXEC SQL SELECT component slope_gradient_r FROM component WHERE … A Rule is a logic diagram that describes the relationship between the evaluations and other rules that make up the rule. A Rule produces a numerical value based on fuzzy mathematics operating on the numerical values from evaluations and other rules. A Rule processes the evaluation results into rating classes (interpretive values). An Evaluation takes the property value retrieved or calculated from the database, ranks it using approximate reasoning, and graphs its membership in a class. An evaluation produces a numerical result from 0 to 1. A Property is an SQL-like statement that retrieves a specific soil value from the database, or calculates a soil property (AWC, permeability).

5. View a Property:

6. View a Property:

7. Run a Property:

8. NASIS Evaluations: • an assessment of a particular soil property for its relative impact as a limiting feature. • is a relationship between the property and its impact on the interpretive application • specifies the ranges used to assess the relative truthfulness of a statement about a soil property • many different shapes of curves to reflect the empirical nature of the relationship

9. View an Evaluation:

10. Run an Evaluation:

11. NASIS Rules: • Base Rules – • A logical statement about one limiting feature • Interpretations – • A logical statement about land use, limiting features, and the relationship among limiting features

12. View a Base Rule:

13. View a Base Rule:

14. View a Base Rule: Rating Classes

15. Run a Base Rule:

16. Base Rule - Operators • AND (A AND B => MINIMUM(A,B)) • OR (A OR B => MAXIMUM(A,B)) • SUM (A SUM B => A + B) • AVERAGE (A AVG B => (A+B)/2) • PRODUCT (A PRO B => (A*B)) • +, -, *

17. Base Rule - Hedges • DETERMINATE NULL – A null value in the database for which a legitimate conclusion can be determined regarding its membership in the interpretive set. (depth to bedrock is populated if there is bedrock) • INDETERMINATE NULL – A null value in the database for which no legitimate conclusion can be determined regarding its membership in the interpretive set. (null percent clay, since clay could be 0 to 100 percent.)

18. Base Rule - Hedges • NOT NULL AND • Used with limitations • If determinant null data is found, the resultant fuzzy number is 0 • NULL OR • Use with suitability • If determinant null data is found, the resultant fuzzy number is 1 • NULL NOT RATED • Indeterminate null field • If null data is found, the rating is “Not Rated”

19. Base Rule – Hedges and Operators

20. An Interpretation:

21. An Interpretation:

22. Run an Interpretation:

23. Run an Interpretation:

24. Run an Interpretation:

25. Reporting Interpretive Information Tables (scripts on NSSC Pangaea) > “MANU” reports look like what’s in a soil survey report >“INTERP Portrait Table” lets you choose which interpretations will be in a table Exports cram more data on the page for analysis in EXCEL Exports for mapping “INTERP- (NAT) Data Export Dominant Condition 5 Class”