Land Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS)

The Land Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS) is a mobile phone application that helps land managers make more sustainable land management decisions.  It is largely funded by USAID and implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture. LandPKS is designed to help offset the major challenges land resource managers face in getting access to good-quality site-specific information on soils, vegetation, topography, and climate. LandPKS makes it easier for land managers to collect site-specific soil and vegetation data, but also allows them to access several global databases on soils, climate and topography. To achieve this interface, the global LandPKS is being developed as an open-source mobile phone app connected to cloud-based global databases and models. The initial components of LandPKS are two integrated mobile apps for collecting (1) the basic soil and topographic information necessary to determine the land potential and land capability classification (LandInfo) and (2) soil and vegetation cover data necessary to assess and monitor major changes in plant community composition and wind and water erosion risk (LandCover). LandInfo guides an informant through a site assessment and soil characterization process resulting in point-level (<10m2) indicators on plant available water holding capacity, FAO length of growing period, and climate (monthly averages). LandInfo currently calculates a Land Capability Classification score for the land based on soil and site characteristics.  Landcover prompts a user for local information on woody/non-woody species composition, canopy characteristics, and plant cover composition and other characteristics along a transect.