Elaboration of the national geomorphological legend applied to soil surveys according to IGAC Methodology

Abstract

The Sub division of Agrology, a branch of Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC), is responsible for drawing up the country´s soils inventory at different cartographic scales, a process that includes the identification, delimitation and characterization of the geomorphological units as a basis for establishing and mapping the soils cartographic units.

The Interpretation Internal Working Group of the Sub direction of Agrology developed the first version of the national legend of geomorphological units to be applied in soil surveys, as part of a technical investigation. The legend is supported by a technical glossary containing the definitions of included geomorphological units. The two technical products are fundamental basis for standardizing the production of the geomorphological mapping required by the IGAC.

The construction of the national geomorphological legend had the following stages: 1) Identification and characterization of geomorphological units in the national territory; 2) Classification of the different units in a hierarchical structure; and 3) Description of geomorphological units in a technical glossary.

Based on the specifications of the IGAC Soil Survey Methodology, the groups of geoforms that can be used to elaborate the geomorphological mapping at 1:100.000 and 1.25.000 scales were defined in the legend. This cartography is an input for studies of general and semi-detached soils, respectively. The national geomorphological legend and the technical glossary are part of the methodology to develop geomorphological mapping applied to soils that is being developed by IGAC.