Application and evaluation of a subaqueous soil‐landscape conceptual model in the West River subestuary, Maryland.

A soil‐landscape conceptual model developed in the Rhode River subestuary of Maryland was applied to create a soil survey for the adjacent West River subestuary. The survey for the West River subestuary was completed before samples were collected there to evaluate the soil‐landscape conceptual model used to generate the soil survey. The West River subestuary was then sampled along transects that crossed soil map units to compare observed soil taxa with predicted soil taxa. Observed transect samples were classified and scored based on their similarity to predicted taxa in soil map units. These data were resampled via a bootstrapping method to determine if the predictions of the West River subestuary soil survey were significantly different from random predictions. Significant information was provided by the survey, and therefore by the soil‐landscape conceptual model used to generate it. Core Ideas: Soil surveys can be statistically evaluated using bootstrapping statistical methods.A polygon‐based soil survey can function as a testable hypothesis.A soil‐landscape model developed in one setting can be evaluated in similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]