Monitoring of soil chemical properties in Ukraine using digital soil mapping

Reliable information on soil chemical properties is essential for strengthening environmental infrastructure and supporting sustainable land management in Ukraine. Despite growing interest in digital soil assessment, national-scale evaluations using global digital soil mapping systems remain limited. This study examines the spatial distribution of key soil chemical indicators and their relevance for environmental planning. Digital Soil Mapping was conducted using the SoilGrids 2.0 platform. Raster data for soil organic carbon (SOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total nitrogen (TN), and pH were extracted for the 0–30 cm horizon across Ukraine. Depth-weighted averaging was applied for SOC and TN, while topsoil values were used for pH and CEC. The spatial patterns were analysed in relation to natural zonation, reference soil groups, and dominant land use. The predicted distributions of SOC, CEC, TN, and pH reflect the main pedogeographic gradients of Ukraine. High values of SOC and CEC occur in the central Forest–Steppe, where loess-derived Chernozems prevail. Northern Polissya soils exhibit strong acidity and low nutrient-buffering capacity, while southern steppe soils show reduced carbon and nitrogen content under arid conditions. The maps reveal clear contrasts linked to climate, parent material, and land use intensity. SoilGrids 2.0 provides consistent, high-resolution information that effectively captures regional differences in soil chemical properties. Integrating global digital soil mapping tools into national soil monitoring frameworks would enhance environmental infrastructure by supporting evidence-based soil conservation, agroecological zoning, and long-term sustainable land-use planning.