A knowledge-based system for designing efficient soil survey schemes

Decisions on land use or soil protection generally depend on soil survey information. There is a growing interest in information with quantified accuracy, which can be obtained by applying statistical sampling strategies. Prior to field work, a soil survey scheme must be designed, which is efficient with respect to accuracy of results and cost of operation. It was investigated how a knowledge-based system can support the design of such schemes. The structuring of the system domain and the tasks of the knowledge-based system are outlined. On this basis, it is indicated where the disciplines involved (soil science, statistics, computer science, and operations research) contribute to the development of the system.