This file describes the approach, audience and data infrastructure to build National Soil Maps, that will represent the current state and soil degradation or recovery processes in Mexico.

1. NATIONAL ATLAS OF MEXICO 2022
NATIONAL SOIL MAPS
Frecuent Ask Questions
National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Institute of Geography.
With inter-institutional and interdisciplinary
collaboration.

2. What is the focus of the National Soil Maps?
Its comprehensive approach implies addressing fundamental problems such as food security, the fight
against desertification, adaptation to climate change, human rights, and biodiversity conservation.

3. What are the messages of the
National Soil Maps to our audience?
The National Soil Maps have two main messages.
The first is to communicate the current state of soil capacities and soil limitations to understand
degradation and sustainability.
The second is to inform the magnitude of the reduction, fragmentation, preservation, or recovery of soil
health and soil quality during the first two decades of this century.

4. How are we going to communicate
these messages to our audience?
The first message will be through 14 descriptive maps of the current state of the Soil (Section III.
Nature).
The second message will be through 18 analytical maps that represent the phenomenon of Soil
degradation or recovery in Mexico (Section X. Environment).

5. What is the current progress of the
National Soil Maps?
There are 32 National Soil Maps proposed for the National Atlas of Mexico 2022.
Of these 32, there are 26 maps with advanced execution processes (between 60 and 90%). However, six
maps still are in conceptual design.
These six maps have variables with high uncertainty such as texture, stoniness, apparent density, or are
maps not yet available, such as the magnitude of soil sedimentation, the impact on soil fauna, or the Soil
Taxonomy System National Map.

6. How will the National Soil Maps be made?
The National Soil Maps results from integrating data, harmonizing concepts, and evaluating the
methodologies used to generate each spatially represented indicator.
For more information see Annex AN_S01: “Technical Summaries of the National Soil Maps”.

7. What is the existing data infrastructure to build the
National Soil Maps and their complements?
Most of the data used to construct the National Atlas of Mexico 2022 are public and accessible (in blue color bullets).
However, some sources have only allowed its use to develop the National Atlas of Mexico 2022 in its printed and digital
formats (in red color bullets).

8. What is the existing data infrastructure to build the
National Soil Maps and their complements?
 Data from 54,868 soil profiles with several levels of information (INEGI).
 Data from 14,252 soil profiles and drillings (CONAFOR, INEGI, and Academy).
 Data from 4,500 study sites on Soil Degradation (COLPOS).
 National Datasets of Soils (polygons) at a scale of 1:250,000 (100% of national coverage) and 1:50,000 (34% of
coverage) (INEGI).
 National Dataset of Soil Degradation Polygons 1:250,000 (COLPOS).
 Data from 62,781 study sites (400 m2 each site) with several qualitative and quantitative information on Soil
Degradation (CONAFOR).

9. What is the existing data infrastructure to build the
National Soil Maps and their complements?
 Data from 5,292 erosion study sites with analytical information (INEGI).
 National Datasets of Changes by photo-interpretation 1:20,000 (national coverage) and at a scale of 1:5,000 (critical
areas of change by Government of Norway-UNDP-UNAM).
 Areas of change by algorithms (30 meters per pixel in national coverage by Global Forest Change).
 National Datasets of Rural Production Units according to Agricultural Management Practices (SADER-Procampo).

10. What are the National Soil Maps that will represent
the current state of the Soil?
Central Map.
1.1. National Map on Soil Formation and Development Processes.
Diversity Soil Maps.
2.1. Soil Groups according to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2022.
2.2. Soil Orders according to the Soil Taxonomy System version 12.0.
Properties Soil Maps.
3.1. Depth and Rocky Outcrops.
3.2. Texture.
3.3. Bulk density and Stoniness.

11. What are the National Soil Maps that will represent
the current state of the Soil?
3.4. Acidity, Neutrality, and Alkalinity.
3.5. Salinity and Sodicity.
3.6. Soil Temperature.
3.7. Soil Moisture.
3.8. Organic Carbon Stores in the Soil.
3.9. Litter and Humus Stores.
Potential Soil Maps.
4.1. Sequestration of Organic Carbon in the Soil.
4.2. Erosivity and Erosionability.

12. What national maps will represent the phenomenon of
soil degradation and recovery in Mexico?
Central Map.
5.1. National Map of Soil Degradation.
Causes of Soil Degradation Maps.
6.1. Forest fires and agricultural burning.
6.2. Conventional and permanent agricultural and forestry practices.
6.3. Mining and urbanization.
Indicators of Soil Degradation Maps.
7.1. Estimated erosion (RUSLE).
7.2. Extreme erosion by photo interpretation.
7.3. Accelerated acidification of the soil.

13. What national maps will represent the phenomenon of
soil degradation and recovery in Mexico?
7.4. Recent Salinization and Sodification.
7.5. Soil contamination by urban solid waste and toxic and dangerous waste.
Effects of Soil Degradation Maps.
8.1. Floods and streams.
8.2. Landslides and sinkholes.
8.3. Loss of soil micro, meso, and macrofauna.
8.4. Edaphic drought.
8.5. Loss of soil fertility.
8.6. Desertification progress.
8.7. Human migration and its relationship with Soil Degradation.

14. What national maps will represent the phenomenon of
soil degradation and recovery in Mexico?
Soil Degradation and Recovery Trends Maps.
9.1. Soil Organic Carbon Gains and Losses from Degradation, Deforestation and Recovery 2000-2022.
9.2. Soil Conservation and Restoration Works and Programs 2000-2022.

15. What is the participation protocol of the authors of
the National Soil Maps?
So far, the following protocol is as follows:
• Formalize the invitations by the UNAM authorities to the participating authors (March 2022).
• Attend a general meeting of authors and general coordinators of the Atlas (March 2022).
• Receive the cartographic files or summary of cases (text, figuers, map, or location sketch). (April 2022).
• Attend a colloquium to present the parts that make up the maps. (July 2022, approximately).
• Technical reviews of maps and texts already integrated (October 2022).
• Review and feedback of the finished maps and complement for their final submission (November 2022).
• Follow-up the maps until final printing, geoportal building (November 2023).
• Follow the Launching of National Atlas of Mexico 2022 (December 2023).

16. Who are the authors of the Soil National Maps?
Up to this moment (February 2022), there are 24 Institutions and 50 participants (26 main authors and 24 collaborating co-
authors).
Authors.
Alfredo Ernesto de la Calleja, Alfredo Isaac Brindis Santos, Alma Barajas Alcalá, Carlos Alberto Ortiz Solorio, Carlos Alexander Lucho Constantino, Carlos Omar Cruz Gaistardo,
Carmen Gutiérrez Castorena, Catarina Loredo Osti, David Jesús Palma López, Enrique Troyo Dieguez, Fabián Fernández Luqueño, Fernando Niño Ayala, Francisco Bautista Zúñiga,
Francisco Prieto García, Gerardo Cruz Flores, Gilberto Vela Correa, Gildardo Hernández Martínez, Horacio Morales Iglesias, Javier Rodríguez Rodríguez, Jesús Solano Ruiz, Joel
Zavala Cruz, Jorge Dionisio Etchevers Barra, Jose Antonio Benjamin Ordonez, José Cueto Wong, José Irán Bojorquez, Juan F. Gallardo Lancho, Mara Irais Flores Gallegos, Maricruz
Sanzón Jara, Mario Guevara Santamaría, Martha Concepción Marín Contreras, Miguel Angel Valera Pérez, Miriam Ramos Vital, Oscar Fernández Fernández, Oswaldo Carrillo Negrete,
Otilio Arturo Acevedo Sandoval, Patricio Sánchez Guzmán, Paulo Barbosa, Ramón Humberto Zetina Tapia, René González Murguía, Rodrigo Vargas, Rosa Icela Beltrán Hernández,
Rufo Sánchez Hernández, Samuel García Carreón, Sara Covaleda Ocón, Sergey Sedov, Silvia Ramos Hernández, Vanessa Maldonado Montero, Yameli Aguilar Duarte, Yolanda Maya
Delgado.

17. Who are the participating institutions in the Soil
National Maps?
Institutions.
BUAP, CIBNOR, CINVESTAV, COLPOS, CONABIO, CONAFOR, CONANP, CSIC, EUROCLIMA, FAO, INEGI, INIFAP, ITESM, JRC-EU, NRCS, UACh,
UAEH, UAM, UAN, UANL, UASLP, UDEL, UNACH, UNAM, UNICACH, UNDP and the GOVERNMENT of NORWAY.

18. Who are the reviewers of the Soil National Maps?
Institute of Geology. UNAM. Mexico.
National Institute of Statistical and Geography. Mexico (retired).
Postgraduate College. Mexico.
Superior Council of Scientific Investigations. Spain (retired).
Joint Research Centre. European Commission.
Institute of Geography. UNAM. Mexico.
Natural Resources Conservation Service. USA.
Christina Siebe Grabach
Carlos Cruz Gaistardo
Jorge Etchevers Barra
Juan Gallardo Lancho
Paulo Barbosa
Silke Cram Haydrich
Suzann Kienast
Additionally, all national soil maps will be evaluated by other peer reviewers appointed by the National Autonomous University
of Mexico.