Advances in Soil Geography, Processes, and Geomatics: Integrating Spatial Data and Soil Dynamics

Soil science is increasingly shaped by the integration of spatial analysis, process-based understanding, and geospatial technologies. Soil geography provides the framework to interpret spatial variability, while soil processes govern the dynamic interactions that control soil formation and function. In recent years, advances in geomatics—such as remote sensing, UAV-based data acquisition, digital soil mapping, and geospatial modelling—have significantly improved our ability to observe, quantify, and predict soil patterns across scales. However, despite these developments, challenges remain in effectively linking spatial soil information with underlying processes. Bridging this gap is essential to enhance predictive capacity, support sustainable land management, and address global environmental challenges such as land degradation, climate change, and soil conservation.

The main goal is to address the persistent disconnect between descriptive spatial analyses and mechanistic interpretations of soil dynamics. Contributions are expected to explore how emerging geospatial technologies and analytical frameworks can improve the representation of soil processes across scales, from plot to landscape and regional levels. Particular emphasis is placed on innovative methodologies that link high-resolution spatial data with process-based models, as well as on approaches that enhance the interpretability and applicability of digital soil information. By fostering collaboration across disciplines, this Research Topic seeks to contribute to a more holistic and predictive soil science capable of supporting environmental management, agricultural sustainability, and climate resilience.

Relevant themes include, but are not limited to: digital soil mapping and spatial modelling; soil-landscape relationships; scaling of soil processes; remote sensing and UAV applications in soil studies; geostatistics and machine learning approaches; soil erosion, hydrological and biogeochemical processes in spatial contexts; and the use of geospatial tools for soil monitoring and management. Interdisciplinary studies that explicitly link spatial patterns with underlying processes are particularly encouraged.

We welcome a variety of manuscript types, including Original Research articles, Reviews, Methods papers, and Perspectives. Contributions that present novel datasets, modelling frameworks, or applied case studies across different environments and spatial scales are especially suitable.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Soil digital mapping;, soil sciences;, pedometrics;, GIS;, remote sensing;, field experiments

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.