Digital soil map of Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract

A digital soil map of Quintana Roo was compiled at a 50 m pixel resolution using a geomorphopedological approach to produce a map that reflects a synoptic view of the geomorphology, environmental conditions and associated soils. Initially, it was developed using a geopedological approach and then converted to a digital map. The map was derived from soil-forming factors using mathematical methods to infer information in places where data were not available. Its compilation included three stages; the first two follow the geopedological approach that consists of a synthesis of data from the characterization of the geomorphological landscapes (vertical dissection, karst geomorphometrics, failures, geology) and soils, and the third stage incorporating environmental components (climate and vegetation) and related variables through various methods of statistical analysis (cluster, principal components and classification analysis) to obtain the pattern of soil distribution and to develop a model for the digital soil map of the study area.ARTICLE HISTORY

Identification of Karst Forms Using LiDAR Technology: Cozumel Island, Mexico

“…To achieve the objectives, the following were necessary (Figure 2): Phase 1. Revision of the inventory of exokarstic forms (caverns, dolines, uvalas, and poljes -"cenotes" and "rejolladas") reported in Cozumel Island [1,2,[13][14][15][16][17], as well as the reports from the association of speleologists MAYAB AC [18] were consulted, 37 of the reported karst units were recognized in these studies, and a georeferenced database was also generated for the purpose of making the information available for reference. Phase 2.…”

“…The relief of the island does not exceed 15 m of altitude above the sea level and the cartographic representations have been developed with data at 1:75,000 and 1:50,000 scale [1,13]. The presence of dolines and uvalas with exokarstic forms has been reported, but the majority have been characterized over time, due to the fact that they do not exceed 50 m in diameter [14][15][16], which makes it necessary to recognize other techniques that aid the identification of exokarstic forms. For that reason, this study employs LiDAR modeling for the purpose of recognizing doline and uvala forms, enriching the list of these relief forms, and indicating the areas with higher density of exokarstic forms.…”

The karst and its neighbors: Digital map of geomorphic environments in Quintana Roo

“…Positive forms of the relief were identified using the vertical dissection coefficient (Priego et al, 2010;Fragoso-Servón et al, 2014b). Thirteen geomorphic units were identified, from sub-horizontal plains to strongly dissected mountains.…”

“…The climate in Quintana Roo is humid warm (Am(f)) with rain year-round, and warm sub-humid with rain in summer (Aw), with five variants: rainy with rain in winter Aw 2 (x´), moderately rainy Aw 1 , moderately rainy with rain in winter Aw 1 (x´), the least amount of rain in the summer Aw 0 , the least amount of rain in the summer and with rain in winter Aw 0 (x´) (INEGI, 2008). According to WRB (2014), 14 principal soil groups (WRB) or soil orders (soil taxonomy) have been identified; of these, Leptosols (Entisols), Gleysols (Inceptisols), Phaeozems (Mollisols), Vertisols (Vertisols) and Luvisols (Ultisols) occupy the largest area (Fragoso-Servón et al, 2017). The vegetation is very diverse, including medium forests, low forests, palm groves, mangroves, tular or vegetation of swamps, and lakes (plants 1 m to 3 m high, with narrow leaves and without foliar organs; the representative genera are Typha, Scirpus, Cyperus, Phragmites and Cladium) and popal (herbs in freshwater marshes rooted in the ground that emerge from the floodwater) (Ek, 2011).…”

“…The state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, is part of the karst plateau; it has 12 types of vegetation (Ek, 2011), six climatic subtypes (INEGI, 2008) and 14 soil groups (Fragoso et al, 2017). However, only three geomorphic environments have been reported.…”