China releases comprehensive digital soil database

China unveiled its soil profile dataset, a comprehensive, high-precision digital soil database that covers a vast territory, in Beijing on Thursday.

The dataset reflects China's soil resources and quality. It consists of 25 volumes and 27.51 million words, collecting data from more than 63,000 soil profiles across over 2,200 counties nationwide.

The research team combined artificial intelligence, data science and cartography with soil science methods. Their efforts have helped protect the precious historical soil survey data of China.

The construction of the dataset began in 1999. Its publication will provide basic data support to China's soil science research and boost innovative research in the fields of geosciences, environmental studies, agriculture and economics.

The dataset, together with high-precision soil spatiotemporal big data, has served national major tasks, including the third national soil survey.

The dataset was published by the Zhejiang Science and Technology Publishing House.