This document provides guidance on the description of soil in the field and its environmental context. It is applicable to natural, near-natural, urban and industrial sites. The soil observations and measurements can be made on a project site level, on a plot level, on layer or horizon level and on specific soil constituents.

It also provides guidance on how to describe layers of anthropogenic (artificial) material or layers that were not modified by pedogenic processes in the strict sense and how to describe coarse material of natural or artificial origin.

This document can be used in combination with other publications that provide guidance or requirements regarding specific aspects of soil observations and measurements.

NOTE 1 It might not be possible or necessary to record data under all the headings listed in Clauses 4 to 11.

NOTE 2 Overall guidance for presentation of information from soil surveys is given in ISO 15903.

NOTE 3 The guidance provided assumes that sampling will be done in accordance with ISO 18400.