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The Point Representation of Soil

Midwest National Tech. Center, USDA-SCS, Federal Bldg., Room 345, 100 Centennial Mall N., Lincoln, NE 68508-3866

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

The ambiguities of the current pedon concept are shown to derive from a dual reference to the incompatable logics of J.S. Mill and P.W. Bridgeman. It is argued that location is the proper referent for soil observations and that operational definitions should apply only to the process of sampling and not to the creation of spatial bodies. An alternate pedon definition is proposed that spatially and temporally relates individual observations to a common point of geographic reference. This allows for the systematic assignment of one-, two-, and three-dimensional soil features to point locations as realizations of a sampling procedure.

Contribution from the National Soil Survey Lab., Midwest National Tech. Center, USDA-SCS, Lincoln, NE.

Received for publication July 31, 1986.