Spatial aspects of applied soil science

The analysis of peculiarities of applied use of soil data has been carried out. It is shown that most of practical tasks require spatial information about soils and their properties. In this regard, a soil map is considered as a kind of interface between theoretical and applied soil science. The disadvantages and limitations of modern soil maps, which significantly reduce the possibility of their practical use, have been revealed. The analysis of possible ways of overcoming the revealed limitations has been carried out. It is established that increase of practical importance of soil science at present is impossible both without technological modernization of soil mapping and without semantic, methodological adjustments. The complete transition from traditional soil maps to pixel spatial soil databases is necessary and already possible. Information load and accuracy of soil maps can and should be increased due to transition from mapping of soil position in one or another classification to mapping of individual, agriculturally important soil properties. In order to solve practical agricultural problems it is important to complete the information of soil maps with information about modern processes occurring in soils, which can be obtained from spatial digital modeling.