Fuzzy mathematical methods for soil survey and land evaluation
Abstract
SUMMARY The rigid‐data model consisting of discrete, sharply bounded internally uniform entities that is used in hierarchical and relational databases of soil profiles, choropleth soil maps and land evaluation classifications ignores important aspects of reality caused by internal inhomogeneity, short‐range spatial variation, measurement error, complexity and imprecision. Considerable loss of information can occur when data that have been classified according to this model are retrieved or combined using the methods of simple Boolean algebra available in most soil and geographical information systems. Fuzzy set theory, which is a generalization of Boolean algebra to situations where data are modelled by entities whose attributes have zones of gradual transition, rather than sharp boundaries, offers a useful alternative to existing methodology. The basic principles of fuzzy sets, operations on fuzzy sets and the derivation of membership functions according to the Semantic Import Model are explained and illustrated with data from case studies in Venezuela and Kenya.
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Development of land evaluation systems based on biophysical conditions started in the 20th century.
“Development of land evaluation systems based on biophysical conditions have been started in the 20th century”
From Concepts of agricultural marginal lands and their utilisation: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Burrough, 1989
According to Burrough (1989), land evaluation models can be divided into three groups: empirical models, deterministic models and stochastic models.
“According to Burrough (1989), land evaluation models can be divided into three groups: empirical models, deterministic models and stochastic models.”
From Concepts of agricultural marginal lands and their utilisation: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Burrough (1989)
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Concepts of agricultural marginal lands and their utilisation: a review
Csikós, N., & Tóth, G. (2023) · Agricultural Systems · doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103560 · Cited by 135 · see citing works
- Authors
- BURROUGH, P. A.
- Affiliations
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- BURROUGH, P. A.
- Venue
- Journal of Soil Science
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1989-09
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 477-492
- ISSN
- 0022-4588 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2159434838
- Cited by
- 503
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 32.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Soil Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Soil and Land Suitability Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Fuzzy and Soft Set Theory
- Keywords
- fuzzy set theory, soil survey, land evaluation, soil classification, soil heterogeneity, measurement error, membership functions, fuzzy logic operations, soil information system
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