Soils are a critical determining factor in an area's potential biodiversity, and in turn the services it can provide. Geological composition, slope, agricultural and other human factors all have a role to play in soil productivity. The complexity of these factors and how they relate to one another can be a lot to understand all at once, if you are not a soil biologist. Luckily there is a user friendly map tool provided by the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service. By using this tool, natural resource managers can inform decisions in conservation based in part by the information the soil survey tool provides.
1. First, go to https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm
Note the provided "4 Basic Steps"
After selecting your area of interest (AOI), there are many soil types to observe under the "Soil Map" tab. These soil types are a generalization based on geological, slope, aspect, and composition factors. I selected Madison County, NC for closer examination. Here is a close up of the paint creek area, part of the French Broad River watershed.
The AOI data can also be downloaded as a shapefile, to be used as a part of a GIS. I created this map to display the soil types of Madison county, though the amount of types and combinations show that this type of analysis may best be used on a smaller scale.
Using the "Soil Data Explorer" tab, other data layers can be placed over the soil type layer. I selected "site index". Primarily used in forestry applications, a site index is a measure of soil productivity for a particular species of tree. For example, an accurate site index for white oak (quercus alba) height at 55 years might determine it's height to be approximately 85 feet. The site index can be a measurement taken in the field, but a rough estimate can be made from this application. Other layers include zoning, watersheds, agricultural land, and other measurements of soil health.
Here is an example, note color overlay showing approximate site index.
By using a soil survey, you may be better informed in making management decisions in your target area.