Powered by

# Code Lists

Code lists are useful tools for expressing longer lists of potential values and help to organize and harmonize databases. Whenever a universal accepted code exists for a certain parameter, it is recommended extend the database with a code column.


# Soil survey

In the Tables 11-16 the most important code lists for field soil survey, description and classification, as parts of national and international standards, are listed:

# Table 10

Overview of code lists on soil data survey

Standard Code list
German Soil Survey Guideline (KA5) [1] see Table 11
DIN 4220:2008-11 see Table 12
Guideline Soil assessment see Table 13
FAO Guidelines for Soil description see Table 14
ISO 25177:2019 see Table 15
INSPIRE Code List, e.g. WRB for Reference Soil Groups, Qualifiers and Specifiers see Table 16

For the German Soil Survey Guideline all parameters for field soil description provided with code lists are given in Table 11. The number of the field in the official form for soil scientific profile description, where a certain soil parameter has to be documented is also listed in the table. The accessibility of code lists is given by the corresponding page number in the guideline, number and title of code list. Code lists for deduction of soil parameters are not mentioned in this overview, because they are not relevant for field soil description.

Table 12 gives an overview of parameters in the German standard DIN 4220 for soil feature designation and classification as provided by code lists. Code lists used for deduction of soil parameters are not listed, as they are not required for field soil description.


# Table 11

Parameters for field soil description provided with code lists in German Soil Survey Guideline (Bodenkundliche Kartieranleitung KA5, 5th edition, 2005)

Parameter (EN) Parameter (D) field p. Code List-No. Code list name
sampling type Beprobung Entnahmeart - 40 Tab. 2 Entnahmeart und Definition der Probenahme
exploration type Aufschlussart 9 56 List 2 Aufschlussart/Aufnahmeintensität/Probenahme
acquisition intensity Aufnahmeintensität 9 56 List 2 -
slope gradient class Hangneigungsstufe 11 58 Tab. 6 Einstufung der Hangneigung
exposition Exposition 12 59 Abb. 5 Windrose zur Kennzeichnung der Exposition
curvature Wölbung 13 60 Tab. 7 Einstufung der Wölbungstärke
relief type (simple) einfacher Reliefformtyp 14 63
64
65
65 		List 3
List 4
List 5
List 6 		Reliefformtypen
Untergliederung des Kulminationsbereichs
Untergliederung des Tiefenbereichs
Untergliederung des Hanges
relief type (complex) komplexer Reliefformtyp 14 66
66
67 		List 7
List 8
List 9		 Komplexe Reliefformtypen
Erhebung
Geschlossene Hohlform
micro relief Mikrorelief 16 69 List 10 Rauhigkeit R der Reliefoberfläche
position in relief Lage im Relief 17 69 List 11 Lage im Relief
denudation/ accumulation processes Abtrags/Auftrags-vorgänge 18 70 List 12 Abtrags-/Auftragsvorgänge und deren Erscheinungen
denudation/accumu-lation phenomena Abtrags/Auftrags-erscheinungen 18 70 List 12 -
land use/ surface sealing Abtrags/Auftrags-erscheinungen 18 72 List 13 Nutzungsart/Versiegelung
vegetation Vegetation 20 73 List 14 Vegetation
weather conditions Witterung 21 74 Tab. 9 Kennzeichnung der Witterungsverhältnisse
anthropogenic changes anthropogene Veränderungen 22 75 List 15 Anthropogene Veränderungen
lumbricids lifeform type Lumbricidae Lebensformtyp 23 77
77		 Tab. 10
Tab. 11		 Lebensformtypen und
Abundanzklassen der Lumbriciden
remarks (acquisition conditions) Bemerkungen (zur Aufnahme-situation) 24 79 List 16 Flächen mit Sonderbestimmungen
lower horizon boundary form Horizontuntergrenze Form 26 80 Abb. 11a Form (Gestalt) der Horizontgrenze
lower horizon boundary orientation Horizontuntergrenze Lage 26 81 Abb. 11b Lage (Neigung) der Horizontgrenze zur Oberfläche
lower horizon boundary sharpness Horizontuntergrenze Schärfe 26 81 List 17 Schärfe (Deutlichkeit) der Horizontgrenzen
horizon symbols Horizontsymbole 27 86ff Tab. 12 Vorgesehene Kombinationen von Haupt- und Zusatzsymbolen
color (without color-charts) Farbe (ohne Fabtafeln 28 110 List 18 Farbbezeichnungen
humus content Humusgehalt 29 112 Tab. 15 Einstufung des Humusgehaltes (organische Substanz) von Böden
hydromorphology oxidative Hydromorphie oxidativ 30 113 Tab. 16 Erscheinungsarten horizont-differenzierender
Fe- und Mn-Verbindungen in hydromorphen Böden
hydromorphology reductive Hydromorphie reduktiv 31 113 Tab. 16 -
soil moisture Bodenfeuchte 32 115 Tab. 17 -
consistency Konsistenz 33 115 Tab. 17 Konsistenz bindiger Böden, Konsistenz-grenzen und
zugehörige Bodenfeuchte
other pedogenic features sonstige pedogene Merkmale 34 114 - Organische Merkmale, Mineralische Merkmale
soil structure type Gefügeform 35 117
118
118
119		 List 19
List 20
List 21
List 22		 Grundgefüge
Makrogrobgefüge
Makrofeingefüge
Gefügefragmente
compactness Lagerungsart 36 121 List 23 Lagerungsart
porosity Porenanteil 38 124 Abb. 13 Bestimmung des Makroporenanteils
tubes, channels Röhren, Gänge 39 123 List 24 Röhren, Gänge
bulk density Lagerungsdichte 40 125 Tab. 20 Bestimmungsschlüssel für die Ansprache der
effektiven Lagerungsdichte
substance vol. (for peaty soil) Substanzvolumen (bei Moorböden) 40 127 Tab. 22 Ansprache des Substanzvolumens SV bei Moorböden
degree of peat decomposition Zersetzungsstufe (bei Torf) 40 128 Tab. 23 Bestimmung der Zersetzungsstufen und des
Zersetzungsgrades von Torfen
root density Durchwurzelungs-intensität 41 129 Tab. 24 Einstufung der Durchwurzelungsintensität
fine root density Feinwurzeldichte 41a 129 Tab. 24 -
coarse root density Grobwurzeldichte 41b 129 Tab. 24 -
rootable depth class Durchwurzelbarkeit 41 130 Tab. 25 Einstufung der Durchwurzelungbarkeit
(physiologische Gründigkeit)
substrate genesis Substratgenese 43 137 Tab. 137 Gliederung der Substratgenese auf den verschiedenen Niveaus
soil type Bodenart 44a 144 Tab. 30 Definition der Feinbodenarten nach Fraktionen,
Schlüssel zur Bestimmung der Bodenart im Gelände (Fingerprobe)
sand soil type Sandbodenart 44a 148 Tab. 31 Kornfraktionen Bodenart „reiner Sand“ Ss
coarse soil fraction Grobbodenfraktion 44b 150
150		 Tab. 32
Tab. 33		 Untergliederung + Kornfraktionen des Grobbodens Einstufung des Grobbodens
peat type Torfart 44a 161 Tab. 36 Botanische Gliederung verbreiteter Torfe und ihre Zuordnung zu den bodenkundlichen Torfartengruppen
mud type Muddenart 44a 164 List 25 Mudden
carbon content (substrate) Kohlenstoffgehalt (Substrat) 45 166 Tab. 38 Einteilung des Kohlenstoffgehaltes bei der Substratartenansprache im Feld 42
carbonate content Carbonatgehalt 46 169 Tab. 40 Kennzeichnung des Carbonatgehaltes des Feinbodens und bei der Substratartenansprache im Feld 42
parent rock Bodenausgangsgestein 47a 174 Tab. 43 Bodenausgangsgesteine
periglacial cover beds Periglaziäre Lagen 47b 181 List 26 Periglaziäre Lagen
coarse soil components Grobboden-komponenten 47c 174 Tab. 43 Bodenausgangsgesteine
substantial inhomogeneities Substanzielle Inhomogenitäten 47d 183 List 27 Substanzielle Inhomogenitäten
structural inhomogeneities Strukturelle Inhomogenitäten 47e 184 List 28 Strukturelle Inhomogenitäten (sofern nicht substanziell differenzierbar)
stratigraphy Stratigrafie 48 187 List 29 Stratigrafische Einheiten
remarks (horizon) Bemerkungen (zum Horizont) 49 190 List 30 Geruch
soil type Bodentyp 50 199 List 31 Bodensystematische Abteilungen, Klassen und Typen mit Horizontfolgen
humus form Humusform 50 264 Tab. 46 Kriterien und diagnostische Horizontmerkmale der Varietäten
ground water level Grundwasserstufe 53a 311 Tab. 59 Einstufung der Grundwasserstände
soil wetness class Vernässungsgrad 54 315 Tab. 61 Ermittlung des Vernässungsgrades für Grund-, Stau- und Haftnässeböden
degree of erosion Erosionsgrad 55 316 Tab. 62 Erosionsgrad und bodensystematische Ansprache

# Table 12

Parameters for field soil description provided with code lists in DIN 4220:2008-11

Parameter (EN) Parameter (D) field p. Code list name
soil and site characteristics Boden- und Standorteigenschaften 10 1 Einstufung von Boden- und Standorteigenschaften
size and scale of features Größen und Skalenbereich von Erscheinungsformen 11 2 Einstufung von Größen, Einteilung in Mikro-, Meso-, Makroskala
area percentage of features Flächenanteil von Erscheinungsformen 11 3 Flächenanteil von Erscheinungsformen in Böden
soil texture class (fine soil) Bodenart (Feinboden) 12 4 Kornfraktionen des Feinbodens
coarse fragments Bodenart (Grobboden) 12 5 Kornfraktionen des Grobbodens (Bodenskelett)
soil texture main group, soil texture group Bodenarten-Hauptgruppe, Bodenarten-Gruppe 13 6 Bodenarten (Gruppierung, Benen-nung, Kurzzeichen, Kornfraktionen)
sand texture classes Sandbodenart 14 7 Unterteilung der Bodenart reiner Sand (0-5% Ton, 0-10% Schluff)
coarse soil shares Grobboden Beimengungen 15 8 Einteilung Gemengeanteile Grobboden
humus content Humusgehalt 16 9 Einstufung Humusgehaltes (organische Substanz) von Böden
rootable depth class Durchwurzelbarkeit 17 10 Einstufung Durchwurzelbarkeit (physiologische Gründigkeit)
root density Durchwurzelungsintensität 17 11 Einstufung Durchwurzelungsintensität
dry bulk density Trockenrohdichte 18 12 Einstufung Trockenrohdichte
ground water level Grundwasserstufe 18 13 Grundwasserstufen in Abhängigkeit mittl. Grundwasserflurabständen
capillary space Kapillarraum 19 14 Einstufung geschlossener Kapillarraum
field capacity Feldkapazität 20 16 Einstufung Feldkapazität
plant available water nutzbare Feldkapazität 20 17 Einstufung nutzbare Feldkapazität
soil porosity Luftkapazität 21 18 Einstufung der Luftkapazität
water content at wilting point Totwasser 21 19 Einstufung des Totwassers
total pore volume Gesamtporenvolumen 21 20 Einstufung Gesamtporenvolumens und Porenziffer
water permeability Wasserdurchlässigkeit 22 21 Einstufung Wasserdurchlässigkeit
air permeability Luftdurchlässigkeit 22 22 Einstufung Luftdurchlässigkeit
soil reaction Bodenreaktion (pH-Wert) 23 23 Einstufung Bodenreaktion
redox potential Redoxspotenzial 23 24 Einstufung Redoxbedingung
CEC KAK 24 25 Einstufung potentieller KAK
base saturation Basensättigung 24 26 Einstufung Basensättigung und Zuordnung von pH-Wert-Bereichen
peat type Torfart 25 27 Botanische Gliederung von Torfen
substance volume Substanzvolumen 26 28 Einstufung Substanzanteils von Moorböden
slope gradient level Hangneigungsstufe 27 29 Einstufung Hangneigung

The Guidelines for Soil Assessment [2] includes code lists for several soil parameters (Table 13). Symbols and class definitions of these code lists deviate conspicuously from other national standards (KA5 [1] or DIN 4220) with the exception of the code lists for horizon symbols, which is taken from the German Soil Survey Guideline, 4th edition (KA4).


# Table 13

Parameters for field soil description provided with code lists in the Guidelines for Soil Assessment

<
Parameter (EN)
_
Parameter (D)
________
 page section
_
Code list name
____________________
soil moisture Bodenfeuchtigkeit 8 1.4 Feuchtigkeitszustand des Bodens
position in relief Lage im Relief 9 2.1 Lage des Grablochs
exposition Exposition 9 2.2 Hangrichtung des Grablochs
special cultivation type, characteristic water conditions Sonderkulturarten und Besonderheiten der Wasserverhältnisse 10 2.8 Erläuterungen zum Kataster
cultivation type Kulturart 11 2.9 Kulturart
soil texture Bodenart 11 2.10.1

Bodenarten nach dem Schätzungsrahmen

Misch- und Übergangsbodenarten bei Acker- und Grünland

Schichtbodenarten bei Mineralboden

Schichtwechsel Mineral-/Moorboden bei Acker- und Grünland
geo- genesis Geologische Entstehung 12 2.10.3 Entstehungsart
particularities Besonderheiten 13 2.12 Besonderheiten, Abrechnungen (%)
remarks Bemerkungen 15 2.26 Bemerkungen
humus content Humusgehalt 18 3.2.1 Humus
carbonate content Kalkgehalt 18 3.2.2 Kalk
soil color Bodenfarbe 18 3.2.3 Farbe
iron compounds Eisenverbindungen 19 3.2.4 Eisen
soil moisture Bodenfeuchte 20 3.2.5 Feuchte
further soil features sonstige Bodeneigenschaften 20 3.2.6 Sonstiges
main soil texture - fine soil Hauptbodenarten - Feinboden 21 3.2.7 Hauptbodenarten - Feinboden
coarse fragments Hauptbodenarten - Grobboden - - Hauptbodenarten - Grobboden (Bodenskelett)
soil type - weathering soil Bodenart - Verwitterungsböden - - Verwitterungsböden
special soil textures besondere Bodenarten- - besondere Bodenarten
subordinate soil textures - fine soil Nebenbodenarten - Feinboden - - Nebenbodenarten - Feinboden
subordinate - coarse fragments Nebenbodenarten - Grobboden - - Nebenbodenarten - Grobboden
additional information on soil texture Ergänzende Angaben zur Bodenart - - Ergänzende Angaben zur Bodenart
soil systematic unit - terrestrial soils Bodensystematische Einheit - terrestrische Böden 26 4.1.1 Abteilung der terrestrischen Böden
soil systematic unit – semi-terrestrial soils Bodensystematische Einheit - semiterrestrische Böden 29 4.1.2 Abteilung der semiterrestrischen Böden
soil systematic unit – bogs and fens Bodensystematische Einheit - Moore 31 4.1.4 Abteilung der Moore
horizon symbols - organic horizons Horizontsymbole - organische Horizonte 33 4.2.1 Organische Horizonte
horizon symbols - mineral horizons Horizontsymbole - mineralische Horizonte 34 4.2.2 Mineralische Horizonte

The FAO Guidelines for soil description contain code lists for numerous soil parameters (Table 14). In many cases several code lists are given for a distinct parameter describing different aspects of the parameter.


# Table 14

Parameters provided with code lists in FAO Guidelines for soil description (4th edition, 2006) [3]

Parameter page Table
_
Code list name
___________________________
weather

9

9

2

2

Codes for weather conditions [4]

Former weather conditions [1]
soil climate 10 3 Soil temperature and moisture regime codes
landform (relief)

11

11

4

5

Hierarchy of major landforms

Subdivisions for complex landforms
slope form 12 6 Classification of slope forms
slope gradient 12 7 Slope gradient classes
land use 14 8 Land use classification
cultivation 15 9 Crop codes
anthropogenic influence 15 10 Recommended codes for human influence
vegetation 16 11 Vegetation classification
parent material 18 12 Hierarchy of lithology
age of land surface 19 13 Provisional coding for age of land surface
rock outcrops 21 14 Recommended classification of rock outcrops
coarse surface fragments 22 15 Classification of coarse surface fragments
erosion

22

22

22

23

16

17

18

19

Classification of erosion, by category

Classification of total area affected by erosion /deposition

Classification of erosion, by degree

Classification of erosion, by activity
surface sealing 23 20 Classification of attributes of surface sealing
surface cracks 24 21 Classification of surface cracks
salt at surface 24 22 Classification of salt characteristics
bleached sand at surface 24 23 Classification of bleached sand characteristics
horizon boundary 25 24 Classification of horizon boundaries, by distinctness and topography
soil type (fine soils) 28 25 Key to the soil textural classes
coarse soil fraction and artefacts

29

30

31

31

26

27

28

29

Abundance of rock fragments and artefacts, by volume

Classification of rock fragments and artefacts

Classification of shape of rock fragments

Classification of weathering of coarse fragments
nature of rock fragments 31 30 Codes for primary mineral fragments
degree of decomposition (peat) 32 31 Field estimation and coding of the degree of decomposition and humification of peat
mottles

35

35

36

36

32

33

34

35

Classification of the abundance of mottles

Classification of the size of mottles

Classification of the contrast of mottles

Classification of boundary between mottle and matrix
soil redox potential 36 36 Redoximorphic soil characteristics and their relation to rH values and soil processes
reductimorphic properties 37 37 Reductimorphic color pattern and occurrence of Fe compounds
carbonate content

38

38

38

39

Classification of carbonate reaction in the soil matrix

Classification of forms of secondary carbonates
gypsum content

39

39

30

41

Classification of gypsum content

Classification of forms of secondary gypsum
salt content 40 42 Classification of salt content of soil
field soil pH value 41 44 Classification of pH value
soil odor 42 45 Classification of soil odor
organic matter content 43 46 Estimation of OM-content based on Munsell soil color
soil structure

45

46

46

47

47

47

47

48

49

50

51

52

Classification of structure of pedal soil materials

Classification of types of soil structure

Codes for types of soil structure

Size classes for soil structure types

Combined size classes for soil structure types

Combinations of soil structures
consistence

48

49

49

49

53

54

55

56

Consistence of soil mass when dry

Consistence of soil mass when moist

Classification of soil stickiness

Classification of soil plasticity
soil-water status 50 57 Classification of moisture status of soil
bulk density

51

52

58

59

Field estimation of bulk density for mineral soils

Field estimation of volume of solids and bulk density of peat soils
porosity

52

53

53

53

60

61

62

63

Classification of porosity

Classification of voids

Classification of diameter of voids

Classification of abundance of pores
coatings

55

55

55

56

56

64

65

66

67

68

Classification of abundance of coatings

Classification of the contrast of coatings

Classification of the nature of coatings

Classification of the form of coatings

Classification of the location of coatings, clay accumulation
cementation and compaction

56

56

57

57

69

70

71

72

Classification of the continuity of cementation/compaction

Classification of the fabric of cemented/compacted layer

Classification of the nature of cementation/compaction

Classification of the degree of cementation/compaction
mineral concentrations

58

58

58

58

59

59

73

74

75

76

77

78

Classification of the abundance of mineral concentrations

Classification of the kinds of mineral concentrations

Classification of the size and shape of mineral concentration

Classification of the hardness of mineral concentrations

Examples of the nature of mineral concentrations

Color names of mineral concentrations
root diameter 60 79 Classification of the diameter of roots
root density 60 80 Classification of the abundance of roots
biological activity

60

60

81

82

Classification of the abundance of biological activity

Examples of biological features
artefacts 63 83 Classification of kinds of artefacts
anthropogenic deposits 64 84 Determination table and codes for human-made deposits
horizon symbols 72 85 Subordinate characteristics within master horizons

# Table 15

Parameters provided with code lists in ISO 25177:2019, Soil description in the field

Parameter (EN) Parameter (D) p. Code List-No.
_
Code list name
__________
precipitation Niederschlag 7 - Vorangegangene Niederschlagsereignisse
land use Flächennutzung 8 - Flächennutzung (ausführliche Felduntersuchung) auf Plottebene
nature of the water Grundwasserbeschaffenheit 11 - Beschaffenheit des Wassers
percentage of rock outcrops or non-natural materials Flächenanteil von Gesteins-aufschlüssen oder „nicht natürlichen“ Oberflächen 11 - Prozentualer Anteil von Gesteins-aufschlüssen oder „nicht natürlichen“ Oberflächen
erosion and soil accumulation Gegenwärtige Erosion und Akkumulation 12 - Anzeichen von Erosion
abundance of mottles Flächenanteil von Flecken 14 - Häufigkeit von Flecken
organic matter content Gehalt an org. Substanz 15 - Geschätzter Gehalt org. Substanz
abundance of coarse elements Grobbodenanteil 15 - Grobboden, Auftreten (als Volumenanteil in Prozent)
maximum grain size of coarse elements Maximale Korngröße Grobboden 16 - Max. Korngröße häufig auftretender Bestandteile des Grobbodens
carbonate content Carbonatgehalt 16 - Intensität des Aufbrausens
carbonate distribution Carbonatverteilung 17 - Auftreten des Aufbrausens
soil structure Bodengefüge

17

39

-

Fig. F.1

Hauptkategorien des Bodengefüges

Bodengefügeformen
compactness Festigkeit 18 - Festigkeit
porosity Porenanteil 18 - Geschätzte Gesamtporosität
root diameter Wurzeldurchmesser 18 - Dicke (Durchmesser) der am häufigsten auftretenden Wurzeln
root density Durchwurzelungsintensität 19 - Häufigkeit von Wurzeln
density of worm channels Wurmröhrendichte 19 - Dichte von Wurmgängen
lower horizon boundary form Horizontuntergrenze Form 19 - Kontur der unteren Horizontbegrenzung
Reference Soil Groups Referenzbodengruppen 21 Tab. B.1 Referenzbodengruppen der WRB [5] (FAO, ISRIC und ISSS, 2006)
fine earth fractions Feinbodenfraktionen 35 Tab. D.1 Richtwerte für die Einteilung mineralischer Böden mit Korngrößenbereichen

# Table 16

INSPIRE Code List register for soil parameter (selected)

Content/Definition Name
master horizon symbols FAO Horizon Master Value
subordinate horizon symbol FAO Horizon Subordinate Value
connotes the master horizon symbol of the lowest of 2 or 3 (prime, double prime) horizons with identical Arabic-numeral prefixes & letter combinations FAO Prime Value
values indicating the placement of the Qualifier with regard to the WRB reference soil group (RSG). WRB Qualifier Place Value
possible qualifiers of the WRB for Soil Resources WRB Qualifier Value
possible RSG (i.e. first level of classification of the WRB for Soil Resources). RSG are distinguished by the presence/ absence of specific diagnostic horizons, properties and/or materials WRB Reference Soil Group Value
possible specifiers WRB Specifier Value
gives an idea whether current non-pedogenic processes affect the soil or not Layer Genesis Process State Value
layer classification Layer Type Value
properties that can be observed to characterize the profile element Profile Element Parameter Name Value
properties that can be derived from soil data Soil Derived Object Parameter Name Value
status of contaminating activity Contaminating Activity Presence Value
possible values indicating reasons for conducting a survey Soil Investigation Purpose Value
terms specifying on what plot observation is made Soil Plot Type Value
properties observations to characterize soil profiles Soil Profile Parameter Name Value
properties observations to characterize soil sites Soil Site Parameter Name Value
trigger to have site or future investigations Investigation Trigger Value
status risk assessment Risk Assessment Stage Value
entities exposed to pollutants at the site. Risk Receptor Value
indicates restrictions on the site as a consequence of the current situation Soil Contamination Specialized Zone Type Code

# Important code lists for crops, breeding, agriculture, land use, and measures

  • The International Code Council (ICC) develops affordable code lists for global markets, agriculture and science.

  • Within its World Program for the Census of Agriculture 2010, the FAO published an “Alphabetic List of Crops with Botanical Names and Crop Codes” [6].

  • The Indicative Crop Classification (ICC-FAO) lists crop codes. The 2-4 digits codes do not differ between varieties and sowing dates (e.g. winter wheat). In 2017 a new version 1.1 was published which is now closely based on the Central Product Classification (CPC) [7].

  • The NCDI provides an extensive list of codes, besides many others, for field crops

  • The Central Product Classification (CPC)[7] Version 2.1 was published by the United Nations (2015) and classifies goods and services such as crop products.

  • A code list for crops is provided by the Clemson University (2008) [8].

  • The Genetic Resources Information System (GRIS) provides breeding and variety information and codes for wheat and triticale (09:2018: 171,000 varieties)

  • The Agronomy Ontology (AgrO) is built by CGIAR and describes agronomic practices, techniques and variables used in agronomic experiments. It provides codes for tillage practices.

  • Codes for tractors and other agricultural machineries are provided by the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS-Codes) which was developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO).

  • In Germany crop types and varieties are registered, described and coded by the Federal Plant Variety Office (BSA, Bundessortenamt) [9]. It provides descriptive variety lists e.g. for cereals, maize, oil and fiber plants.

  • Within the extended BBCH-scale phenological development stages are described and coded for all kinds of agricultural plants and products [10].

  • Based on the EU-regulation 1305/2013 (in Germany “InVeKoS”) code lists on different crop types and culture codes, 3 digits were established (e.g., Flächennutzungsnachweis, FNN).

  • In the United States, fertilizers are listed in the UFTRS Code List (Uniform Fertilizer Tonnage Reporting System, 3 digits).

  • The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Security (BVL) provides code lists on land use (1 letter), plant protection (active substances, 4 digits), function (1 letter), authorization holders (3-4 characters), and type of formulation (2 letters).

  • The EPPO-Code (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization) contains plants, pests and pathogens in the frame of agriculture and crop protection.

  • Land use classes are coded in the CORINE Land Cover (CLC) including a 3-level nomenclature. Agricultural areas start with number “2”.

  • The code system UCUM (Unified Code for Units of Measure) includes units of measures being contemporarily used in international science and engineering. UCUM is based on EN ISO 80000 and is used e.g. for electronical data interchange protocols.

# Important code lists for data management and metadata

  • There are 33 code lists in ISO 19115-1ff (including references to other ISO standards, e.g. language code- ISO 639-2). Code lists of EN ISO 19115-1:2003, 19115-2:2010 and 19119:2016 are used in INSPIRE and GDI-DE metadata schema as data type for several metadata elements, e.g. CI_RoleCode, MD_CharacterSetCode, MD_ClassificationCode, MD_keywordTypeCode, MD_RestrictionCode, and MD_TopicCategoryCode.

  • While the standard EN ISO 19108:2005 deals with geographic information and a temporal schema, ISO 8601:2019 contains data elements and interchange formats and represents date and times. Both have been implemented for INSPIRE.

  • RFC 4646: tags for identifying languages, RFC 3986, Uniform Resource Identifier, TGN (Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names) for coverage and DCMI Type Vocabulary [DCIM-TYPE], to describe nature or genre of the resource have been used in Dublin Core.

  • The INSPIRE Metadata Regulation 1205/2008/EC [11] mandate the presence of at least one keyword. This can be associated with a controlled vocabulary which in ISO standard is referred to as “thesaurus”.


# Table 17

Further relevant code lists and glossaries

Feature Publisher/Standard
air quality, exchange of data ISO 7168-1:1999

coordinate reference systems

culture codes, crop types

EPSG-Codes

InVeKoS-FNN (Flächen- und Nutzungsnachweis)
date and time ISO 8601:2019
languages, language names ISO 639-1:2002 and ISO 639-2:1998
DIN 2335:2016-08
SI units EN ISO 80000-1ff series
soil data formats ISO 28258:2013; INSPIRE DS Soil
sprayers ISO 10627-2:1996 [withdrawn]
vegetation survey (homogeneity, species, abundance) Braun-Blanquet-Scale (Relevé method)

# Table 18

Glossaries and vocabularies

Feature Publisher/Standard
access panels in market, opinion, social research ISO 20252:2019
castors and wheels EN 12526:1998
earth-moving machinery ISO 6165:2022
equipment for crop protection ISO/DIS 5681:2020
equipment of harvesting ISO 6689:2021
forage harvester ISO 8909-1:2021
grain species ISO 5527:2015
market, opinion and social research ISO 20252:2019
meteorology (data aggregation) VDI 3786-1:2013
quality management EN ISO 9000:2015
soil quality ISO 11074:2015/Amd 1:2020
soil tillage, ploughing ISO 8910:1993
soil water ISO 15709:2002
statistics (terms, symbols) ISO 3534-1:2006
tractors and (self-propelled) machines ISO 14269-1:1997
tractors - symbols for operators ISO 3767-2:2016
water quality ISO 6107-1:2021

# References

[1] Boden, Ad-hoc-AG (2005). Bodenkundliche Kartieranleitung (German Soil Survey Guideline). Hannover.

[2] Bundesministerium der Finanzen (1996): Arbeitsanleitung neues Feldschätzungsbuch: Bodenschätzung. Berlin.

[3] FAO (2006). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Guidelines for soil description. 4th edition. Rome.

[4]Schoeneberger, P.J., Wysocki, D.A., Benham, E.C (2012). Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils. Lincoln, NE; Reprint 2021

[5] WRB, IUSS Working Group (2014). World reference base for soil resources 2014: International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps: Update 2015. World Soil Resources Reports No. 106: 203.

[6] FAO (2005). A system of integrated agricultural censuses and surveys. Volume 1: World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2010. Rome.

[7] UN (2015). Central product classification (CPC) version 2.1. New York.

[8] University, Clemson (2008). Computer Crop Codes for Soil Samples (http://www.clemson.edu/agsrvlb/CropCodesWeb.htm).

[9] Bundessortenamt (2021). Beschreibende Sortenliste. Getreide, Mais, Öl- und Fasepflanzen, Leguminosen, Rüben, Zwischenfrüchte. Hannover.

[10] Hack, H; Bleiholder, H.; Buhr, L.; Meier, U.; Schnock-Fricke, U.; Weber, E.; Weber, E. (1992). Einheitliche Codierung der phaenologischen Entwicklungsstadien mono- und diktyler Planzen - Erweiterte BBCH-Skala, Allgemein. Narichtenbl. Deut. Pflanzenschutzd 44: 265-270.

[11] JRC (2007, update 2013). "INSPIRE Metadata Implementing Rules: Technical Guidelines based on EN ISO 19115 and EN ISO 19119." from http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/documents/Metadata/INSPIRE_MD_IR_and_ISO_v1_2_20100616.pdf.