The app that puts soil on the map
15 June 2012
Scientists have produced a new free map app of the soils of Great Britain.
The app, mySoil, also enables the general public to upload information about the soil where they live, helping to improve our knowledge about the properties of soils and the vegetation habitats that they provide.
Using mySoil you can view a map of soil parent material - the underlying geological material - click on an area to get information about soil depth, texture, pH and organic matter content, and explore vegetation habitat data across the UK.
mySoil, produced by the NERC British Geological Survey (BGS) and the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), was launched at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival on 14 June 2012.
mySoil, for iPhones and iPads, is for anyone with an interest in the soil of Great Britain, including allotment owners, farmers and agricultural specialists, gardeners, schools and college students, environmentalists and land use planners.
The scientists are encouraging land users, especially in cities, to send in descriptions and pictures of their soil. The public can play a big role in contributing to soil science data, for urban areas in particular, where the data is limited.
John Ludden, Executive Director of BGS, says, "Mobile technologies are opening up exciting new ways to share environmental information. We hope this will begin a new form of dialogue with the public and other users, where we can together improve our environmental information and knowledge."
Gwyn Rees, Director of the Environmental Information Data Centre at CEH, says, "This new app is part of the Natural Environment Research Council's ongoing efforts to make our environmental datasets easier to use. By sharing data and technical knowledge between CEH and BGS we've created an invaluable resource for the general public."
The mySoil app also features at the BBC Gardeners' World Live show in Birmingham this week, where scientists from CEH are demonstrating how biological records are used to guide policymakers and environmental managers. As well as trying out the mySoil app, visitors to the CEH stand can talk to wildlife experts, view the world of mini-beasts under the microscope and play Biodiversity Jenga.
Further information
NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215
Sarah Nice
BGS Press Office
Keyworth, Nottingham
NG12 5GG
Tel: 0115 936 3605
Mob: 07989 115657
Clive Mitchell
BGS Press Office
Keyworth, Nottingham
NG12 5GG
Tel: 0115 936 3257
Mob: 07815 537439
1. The mySoil app combines soil information from the BGS Parent Material Map and the Countryside Survey carried out by CEH. Discover more about our soil research via the NERC Soil Portal.
2. The mySoil app can be downloaded for free from the BGS website.
3. Its sister app, iGeology, can also be downloaded for free from the BGS website.
Press release: 13/12
External links
- British Geological Survey
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
- BBC Gardeners' World Live
- The Times Cheltenham Science Festival
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