Soil depth intervals

A depth interval is linked to one or more soil-based structures. A soil structure must have one or more depth intervals. A depth interval describes a part of the subsurface of the linked soil location. The latter contains the location of the profile well or bore (X, Y, possibly supplemented by Z of the ground level), where the depth intervals describe the bottom at that location in the depth. A depth interval is a horizon or a layer (this is the type). A horizon is a visually distinguishable part of the soil that is created by conversion of the parent material by pedogenetic processes or by deposition of organic material. A horizon has homogeneous morphological and analytical characteristics for most soil variables. A layer, on the other hand, is not created by pedogenetic processes. This type is used less frequently, but e.g. in archaeological context or for sampling layers in soil monitoring. Each depth interval has at least one upper and lower boundary indicating the depth of the horizon or low. If the limit is less clear or does not run horizontally, two upper or lower limits can also be specified. It is possible that several depth intervals of the same soil location completely or partially overlap each other in the depth. In exceptional cases, for the input of historical data, it is possible to create depth intervals without upper or lower limits.