Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

O. Nestroy and H.-J. Ulonska:

Soil assessment for land taxation – chances and risks of harmonisation in a European context

Summary

In Europe a harmonisation in the measurement of particle size distribution of the fine earth soils and fine sediments is needed. Both parameters, texture and texture classes, are the base for statistically resilient and justiciable criteria related to heavy metal, nutrient and water contents. Spatially dominating primary data of the Austrian and German Soil Assessment is taken for an approach to discuss about regulations concerning particle-size fractions and particle-size classes overlapping the band of soil functions, soil law and land use. An inventory of verified and validated primary particle size parameters has to be done to make conclusions based on referenced materials of fine earth and sediments within national programs for example as irrigation control (STEINITZER, 1999) or ecotoxicological impacts of chemicals on soils (BLUM, 1999). Key words: Soil assessment, particle-size category, particle-size classification, mineral fine earth, soil protection.