ASSESSING SOIL QUALITY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC: A COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL SOIL PROTECTION CLASSES WITH SOIL QUALITY INDEX CALCULATED BY UTILIZING THE BEST-WORST METHOD

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41210%2F23%3A96572" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41210/23:96572 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://icefsss-2023.com/" target="_blank" >https://icefsss-2023.com/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

—

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

ASSESSING SOIL QUALITY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC: A COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL SOIL PROTECTION CLASSES WITH SOIL QUALITY INDEX CALCULATED BY UTILIZING THE BEST-WORST METHOD

Original language description

Soil quality is the capacity of soil to provide ecosystem services. However quantification of soil quality is not easy as there is no standard for it, as the term can vary according to purpose of that quantification. In the Czech Republic is traditionally used system of five soil protection classes of agricultural land that are assigned for the purpose of protecting fertile soils, ensuring agricultural production and protecting the environment. The classes are based on Evaluated Soil Ecological Units (ESEU), they have assigned standardized yield score and soil pricing is derived from these attributes. As an alternative, this study developed a Soil Quality Index (SQI) for a 4290 km2 area in the Central Bohemia Region, comparing it with the soil protection classes. Using data from 278 sampling points in the countrywide database Systematic Soil Survey (1961-1970) along with ESEU information, 15 standardized soil quality indicators (geographical, physical, and chemical properties) were utilized in linear combination method to calculate SQI. Best-Worst Method was used to assign weights to soil quality indicators by pairwise comparison of the best indicator to others and the worst indicator to others and in the end. The resulting map of SQI was generated using the Radial Basis Function (Completely Regularized Spline) with the lowest root mean square error. The SQI map exhibited a high level of resemblance to the current soil protection classes. The tested Best-Worst Method proved to be a viable alternative for soil evaluation in the Czech Republic, slightly outperforming the previously published Analytical Hierarchical Process. The findings demonstrate the applicability of the Best-Worst Method in enhancing soil evaluation practices, providing valuable insights for researchers and policymakers. This research contributes to the advancement of soil quality assessment methodologies, with implications for improved soil management and decision-making processes.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40104 - Soil science

Project

<a href="/en/project/QK1910299" target="_blank" >QK1910299: Sustainable management of natural resources with emphasis on non-production and production ability of soil</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů