The European Soil Database (ESDB) contains four discrete datasets: - the Soil Geographical Database of Eurasia at scale 1:1,000,000 (SGDBE) - the Pedotransfer Rules Database (PTRDB) - the Soil Profile Analytical Database of Europa (SPADBE) - the Database of Hydraulic Properties of European Soils (HYPRES) This 1km x 1km raster version release of the database is freely available to the public and contains a 1km raster version of the vector based soil geometry (which is part of the SGDBE). Raster values have been derived using the "features to raster" tool in the Spatial Analyst extension of ArcGIS, the feature layer being a shapefile created from the SGDBE geometrical database to which attributes from SGDBE and PTRDB have been linked according to the "dominant STU" principle for the "dominant STU" rasters. Dominant STU principle: For each SMU (Soil Mapping Unit): a “dominant STU” is associated. (“dominant” in terms of % of area). The value of a soil attribute A (e.g. depth-to-rock) for this SMU would be the value that A has within that dominant STU. The attributes are described at: http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ESDB_Archive/raster_archive/SG_attr.htm http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ESDB_Archive/raster_archive/pt_attr.htm This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

The European Soil Database (ESDB) contains four discrete datasets: - the Soil Geographical Database of Eurasia at scale 1:1,000,000 (SGDBE) - the Pedotransfer Rules Database (PTRDB) - the Soil Profile Analytical Database of Europa (SPADBE) - the Database of Hydraulic Properties of European Soils (HYPRES) This 1km x 1km raster version release of the database is freely available to the public and contains a 1km raster version of the vector based soil geometry (which is part of the SGDBE). Raster values have been derived using the "features to raster" tool in the Spatial Analyst extension of ArcGIS, the feature layer being a shapefile created from the SGDBE geometrical database to which attributes from SGDBE and PTRDB have been linked according to the "dominant value" principle for the "dominant value" rasters. Dominant Value principle: For each SMU (Soil Mapping Unit) and for a soil attribute P: the value of P is the class value that appears most within the SMU, i.e. each SMU is fully coloured with the colour assigned to the attribute class which is dominant within each SMU. The attributes are described at: http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ESDB_Archive/raster_archive/SG_attr.htm http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ESDB_Archive/raster_archive/pt_attr.htm This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

Soil organic carbon, the major component of soil organic matter, is extremely important in all soil processes. Organic material in the soil is essentially derived from residual plant and animal material, synthesized by microbes and decomposed under the influence of temperature, moisture and ambient soil conditions. The JRC has developed and makes available a map of Soil Organic Carbon content (%) in the surface horizon of soils in Europe. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

The Soil Geographical Database of Eurasia at Scale 1:1,000,000 is part of the European Soil Informaton System (EUSIS). It is the resulting product of a collaborative project involving all the European Union and neighbouring countries. It is a simplified representation of the diversity and spatial variability of the soil coverage. The methodology used to differentiate and name the main soil types is based on the terminology of the F.A.O. legend for the Soil Map of the World at Scale 1:5,000,000. This terminology has been refined and adapted to take account of the specificities of the landscapes in Europa. It is itself founded on the distinction of the main pedogenetic processes leading to soil differentiation: brunification, lessivage, podzolisation, hydromorphy, etc. The database contains a list of Soil Typological Units (STU). Besides the soil names they represent, these units are described by variables (attributes) specifying the nature and properties of the soils: for example the texture, the water regime, the stoniness, etc. The geographical representation was chosen at a scale corresponding to the 1:1,000,000. At this scale, it is not feasible to delineate the STUs. Therefore they are grouped into Soil Mapping Units (SMU) to form soil associations and to illustrate the functioning of pedological systems within the landscapes. Harmonisation of the soil data from the member countries is based on a dictionary giving the definition for each occurrence of the variables. Considering the scale, the precision of the variables is weak. Furthermore these variables were estimated over large areas by expert judgement rather than measured on local soil samples. This expertise results from synthesis and generalisation tasks of national or regional maps published at more detailed scales, for example 1:50,000 or 1:25,000 scales. Delineation of the Soil Mapping Units is also the result of expertise and experience. Heterogeneity can be considerable in European regions. The spatial variability of soils is very important and is difficult to express at global levels of precision. Quality indices of the information (purity and confidence level) are included with the data in order to guide usage. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

Data on designated nitrate vulnerable zones as submitted by Member States for monitoring progress of implementation of the Nitrate Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources). This Directive has the objective of reducing water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and preventing further such pollution. Waters affected by pollution and waters which could be affected by pollution if action pursuant Article 5 is not taken shall be identified by the Member States in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex I.

In the context of Service Level Agreement between JRC and EFSA, a series of datasets have been developed as support to the FATE and the ECOREGION EFSA PPR Working Groups. Soil maps: Organic matter content of the topsoil, pH of the topsoil, Bulk density of the topsoil, Texture of the topsoil, Water content at field capacity. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

One key parameter for soil erosion modelling is the soil erodibility, expressed as the K- factor in the commonly used soil erosion model USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation). The K-factor is related to crucial soil factors triggering erosion (organic matter content, soil texture, soil structure, permeability). We calculated soil erodibility using measured soil data, collected during the 2009 LUCAS (Land Use and Cover Area frame Survey) soil survey campaign across the member states of the European Union. The estimation method of soil erodibility is based on the LUCAS point data. Since the density of points has a variety, we have performed a first assessment of Uncertainty based on the number of points in the 10km Grid Cell (dataset called uncertainty.tif available in the same folder as k-factor). Soil erodibility is expressed in [(t ha h)/(ha MJ mm)]. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

Global estimates of soil organic carbon stocks have been produced in the past to support the calculation of potential emissions of CO2 from the soil under scenarios of change land use/cover and climatic conditions (IPCC, 2006), but very few global estimates are presented as spatial data. For global spatial layers on soil parameters, the most recent and complete dataset is available as the Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD). The HWSD represents a step forward towards a spatially more detailed and thematically more refined set of global soil data. This dataset contains the organic carbon density (t ha-1) for the topsoil (0 – 30cm) from the amended HWSD. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

Global estimates of soil organic carbon stocks have been produced in the past to support the calculation of potential emissions of CO2 from the soil under scenarios of change land use/cover and climatic conditions (IPCC, 2006), but very few global estimates are presented as spatial data. For global spatial layers on soil parameters, the most recent and complete dataset is available as the Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD). The HWSD represents a step forward towards a spatially more detailed and thematically more refined set of global soil data. This dataset contains the organic carbon density (t ha-1) for the topsoil (30 - 100cm) from the amended HWSD. The original delivery from JRC consisted of two files in IDRISI Raster format, each covering half of the globe. For convenience, these files have been merged at EEA into a single GeoTIFF file covering the whole globe. The original files are in the zip archive HWSDa_OC_Dens_30SEC.zip This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.

In the context of Service Level Agreement between JRC and EFSA, a series of datasets have been developed as support to the FATE and the ECOREGION EFSA PPR Working Groups. This dataset contains the topsoil water content at field capacity expressed in m^3 m^-3. This metadata record is adapted from the orginal one received from JRC.