Soil information system FISBo BGR

The BGR’s soil information system (FISBo BGR) is part of the national soil information network which also includes the two information systems of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA): the information system for soil protection (bBIS-UBA), and that for contaminated sites (ALIS-UBA). The objective of all three systems is to make soil information accessible at national and international level and to interpret and further develop this information for research and policy support.

The core components of the FISBo BGR consist of a set of map data bases, a soil profile and analytical database and a compilation of predotransfer functions called the method base. In addition, technical tools and applications for data management are offered in order to support private and public soil data providers.

Soil maps:
The core activity of the BGR soil team is the development of national soil maps and data bases. These products contain information about the distribution and properties of soils in Germany. They are being developed in close collaboration with the geological offices of the German federal states (Staatliche Geologische Dienste, SGD). Metadata, the digital data sets and web services are offered in our product catalogue. The soil profile and analytical data base is an internal product which supports the activities of the soil chemical laboratory.

Data applications:
Evaluation methods were developed and optimized for national soil data which are classified and coded according to the terminology of the national soil mapping guide. Thus, the existing maps and data bases of the FISBo BGR can be used for thematic applications targeted to investigate the condition of soils and soil hazards.

Data management:
Web-based data availability and data exchange are important user requirements which become increasingly important in the FISBo BGR. Tools are developed which support the management, storage and exchange of harmonized and interoperable data, for example as required under the INSPIRE directive.