The CARBOSOL Database: a georeferenced soil profile analytical database for Spain

The following document presents the CARBOSOL Database that gathers data of physical and chemical properties of 6,609 georeferenced soil profiles in Spain associated to a related analytical dataset of 22,100 horizons compiled from 635 soil studies. The CARBOSOL Database provides a wealth of information on soil organic matter content, its distribution along the profile and its associated determinants: such as soil type, lithology, topography and land cover. Also the CARBOSOL Database includes broad physical and chemical characteristics of the profiles and its associated horizons. The database will be publicly available and aims to be a useful research tool to increase knowledge of Spanish soils, especially around the study of the soil organic C stocks, the dynamic of soil organic matter and its determinant factors. The database is of interest for soil specialists, policy-makers, and the general public, due to its potential to (1) improve modelling of processes such as soil erosion and organic carbon storage in soil, (2) support agricultural and environmental policy-making, and (3) hold up soil situation awareness in Spain. The CARBOSOL Database has been developed by the CARBOSOL Collaborative Network Project and, currently, represents the largest standardized soil data compilation in Spain.