Based on legacy soil data from a soil survey conducted recently in the traditional manner in Hong Kong of China, a digital soil mapping method was applied to produce soil order information for mountain areas of Hong Kong. Two modeling methods （decision tree analysis and linear discriminant analysis） were used, and their applications were compared. Much more effort was put on selecting soil covariates for modeling. First, analysis of variance （ANOVA） was used to test the variance of terrain attributes between soil orders. Then, a stepwise procedure was used to select soil covariates for linear discriminant analysis, and a backward removing procedure was developed to select soil covariates for tree modeling. At the same time, ANOVA results, as well as our knowledge and experience on soil mapping, were also taken into account for selecting soil covariates for tree modeling. Two linear discriminant models and four tree models were established finally, and their prediction performances were validated using a multiple jackknifing approach. Results showed that the discriminant model built on ANOVA results performed best, followed by the discriminant model built by stepwise, the tree model built by the backward removing procedure, the tree model built according to knowledge and experience on soil mapping, and the tree model built automatically. The results highlighted the importance of selecting soil covariates in modeling for soil mapping, and suggested the usefulness of methods used in this study for selecting soil covariates. The best discriminant model was finally selected to map soil orders for this area, and validation results showed that thus produced soil order map had a high accuracy.
SUN Xiao-LinZHAO Yu-GuoZHANG Gan-LinWU Sheng-ChunMAN Yu-BonWONG Ming-Hung
The relics of ancient rice have been regarded as the most important objective evidence of the origina- tion and spread of rice cultivation.Based on the records of 280 rice relics sites and the rice cropping regionalization as well as the distribution map of paddy soils,the current study compiled the temporal and spatial distribution map of ancient rice distribution in China.The map shows that the distribution of ancient rice is spatially extensive and meantime comparatively concentrated,temporarily covering a long and relatively continuous time-span.The rice relics in the Central China double and single rice cropping regions are among the earliest and the most abundant ones,possessing continuity in time sequence.Combined with the discovery of ancient rice and paddy filed relics,soil micromorphology, pollen combination and element geochemistry,it is suggested that Central China was the origin center of rice cultivation in China.Rice had been spread to the rest part of China in three major waves,also to the East Asian part like Korea and Japan.The temporal and spatial distribution of ancient rice reflects the past environmental change,which is also meaningful to the current rice regionalization and plan- ning as well as food security in China.
