This synthesis aims to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge on soil and soil policy.
This is because pastoralists have robust knowledge of soils and soil quality; their soil classification is often based on the productivity of such soils on a given landscape.
We advocate that pedological knowledge of soil landscape distribution, soil-forming factors and soil processes is essential to modern soil spatial analysis and may be rigorously integrated into soil mapping.
However, there are relatively few models to predict penetrometer resistance that can be applied without detailed knowledge of soil texture, organic matter content, soil water status, density or other soil variables.
In this paper, we present a conceptual approach that allows predicting the parameters of the Convective Lognormal Transfer model from knowledge of soil moisture and the Soil Moisture Characteristic (SMC), parameterized by means of the closed-form model of Kosugi (1996).
Ethno-pedology, the systematic definition and classification of indigenous technical knowledge of soil attributes, has often ignored scientific knowledge of soil properties.
They've developed a platform for promoting and translating expert knowledge on soil biodiversity into policy and land management.
These processes are crucial since a transition to more permanent agriculture that is not accompanied by the simultaneous generation and application of more specific knowledge on soil fertility could be disastrous for the vulnerable tropical soils and the people's livelihoods.
Knowledge of soil spatial variability is important in natural resource management, interpolation and soil sampling design, but requires a considerable amount of geo-referenced data.
Nevertheless the chapter emphasizes that further research, cross-border knowledge, and soil protection best practice transfer as well as the improvement of soil-data collection and use are needed to strengthen daily sustainable soil management in the Alps.
