📖 Getting Started

Introduction

AlpsDataFarm is a scientific data platform for soil science and agricultural research. It connects field sampling, lab analytics, geo data and external datasets into one unified system.

📍

Sites & Projects

Organize your research into projects with geo-referenced sites.

🧪

Lab Analytics

Track soil samples through lab analysis workflows.

🗺

Spatial Data

Integrate Bodenkarte and INVEKOS field data on interactive maps.

Note: All data is user-specific. You only see projects, sites, and samples that are linked to your account or shared with you.

🧠 Getting Started

Core Concepts

Project

A Project is the top-level container for your research. It groups Sites, defines ownership, and controls access. Every resource in the system belongs to a Project.

namecategoryownervisibility

Site

A Site is a geo-referenced location where field work takes place. It has GPS coordinates, belongs to a Project, and is linked to a Farming System that describes the land use strategy.

namelatlngprojectfarming_system

Farming System

Describes the agricultural or ecological management strategy of a Site (e.g. organic, conventional, agroforestry). Shared across all users.

name

Field Soil Sample

A physical soil sample taken at a Site on a specific date. Linked to a depth horizon and a sample type. The sample is the central entity connecting field work to lab analysis.

sitedepthsoil_sample_typesampling_datelab_id

Lab Analysis

A measurement result for a soil sample. Each analysis has a type (e.g. carbon content), a method, a unit, raw and final values. Multiple analyses can exist per sample.

field_soil_sampleanalysis_typeraw_datafinal_datadate

🔄 Getting Started

Workflow

Typical research workflow from project setup to lab results.

Create a Project

Define your research project, assign a category (e.g. soil carbon study) and set visibility.

Add Sites

Add geo-referenced sites to your project. Each site gets GPS coordinates and a farming system.

Record Soil Samples

For each site, record field soil samples with depth horizon, sample type and sampling date.

Select Analysis Type

Choose the lab analysis method (e.g. root washing, carbon combustion). Create new types or use shared public ones.

Enter Lab Results

Input raw and final measurement values, measurement date and optional comments.

Analyze & Export

Use the Analytics dashboard or export all data via /api/analytics/export/ for Python/R analysis.

🗂 Reference

Data Model

Entity relationships in AlpsDataFarm.


  User
   └── Project (owner)
        ├── ProjectAccess (user, access_rights: read|write|admin)
        └── Site
             ├── FarmingSystem (name)
             └── FieldSoilSample
                  ├── SoilSampleDepth (upper, lower, label)
                  ├── SoilSampleType (name)
                  └── LabAnalysis
                       ├── LabAnalysisType
                       │    ├── lab_device → LabDevice (name, location)
                       │    ├── method
                       │    └── unit
                       ├── raw_data
                       ├── final_data
                       └── date

User→Projectowns (1:N)

Projects are user-scoped

Project→Sitecontains (1:N)

Sites belong to one project

Site→FarmingSystemreferences (N:1)

Shared farming systems

Site→FieldSoilSamplehas (1:N)

Multiple samples per site

FieldSoilSample→LabAnalysisanalyzed by (1:N)

Multiple analyses per sample

LabAnalysis→LabAnalysisTypetyped by (N:1)

Shared or private types

📋 Reference

Field Reference

FieldSoilSample

Field	Type	Description
`site`	`FK`	Reference to the Site where sample was taken
`depth`	`FK`	Depth horizon e.g. 0–10cm, 10–30cm
`soil_sample_type`	`FK`	Type classification e.g. Mineral, Organic
`sampling_date`	`date`	Date when the sample was taken in the field
`lab_id`	`int`	External lab identifier for tracking
`comment`	`text`	Optional field notes

LabAnalysis

Field	Type	Description
`field_soil_sample`	`FK`	The sample this analysis belongs to
`analysis_type`	`FK`	Method and unit definition
`raw_data`	`float?`	Raw measurement value before processing
`final_data`	`float`	Final processed measurement value (required)
`date`	`date`	Date of the lab measurement
`comment`	`text?`	Lab notes or remarks

LabAnalysisType

Field	Type	Description
`name`	`string`	Display name e.g. Kohlenstoffgehalt
`method`	`string`	Analysis method e.g. Verbrennung 1000°
`unit`	`string`	Measurement unit e.g. %, g/kg, mg/l
`lab_device`	`FK`	The device used for this analysis type
`is_public`	`bool`	If true, visible to all users as shared type
`created_by`	`FK`	User who created this type

🗺 Reference

Geo & Mapping

Sites are geo-referenced with WGS84 coordinates (lat / lng). The interactive map supports multiple base layers and thematic overlays.

Base Layers

– Streets (OpenStreetMap)
– Satellite (Stadia Maps)
– Terrain (Stamen)

Thematic Overlays

– Bodentypengruppe
– Ackerland-Eignung
– Humusgehalt
– Bodenreaktion

INVEKOS

– Feldstücke ab Zoom 12
– Jahrgangsauswahl 2015–2025
– Popup mit Schlagnutzungshistorie

Sites

– User-scoped markers
– Popup mit Site-Info
– Farming System Label

🔬 Reference

Lab Analytics

Lab analyses are entered through a 4-step workflow: Select Sample → Select Analysis Type → Input Results → Review & Save.


  FieldSoilSample
       │
       └── LabAnalysis ──── LabAnalysisType
                │                │
                ├── raw_data     ├── name
                ├── final_data   ├── method
                ├── date         ├── unit
                └── comment      ├── lab_device → LabDevice
                                 └── is_public (shared or private)

Analysis Types Analysis Types can be public (visible to all users) or private (only visible to the creator). This allows standardized methods to be shared across research groups while keeping custom methods private.

🌾 External Data

INVEKOS Data

INVEKOS (Integriertes Verwaltungs- und Kontrollsystem) is the Austrian agricultural field registry. AlpsDataFarm proxies INVEKOS data from the Austrian government GIS service to show field polygons with crop rotation history.

Source

gis.lfrz.gv.at — OGC Features API

Coverage

Austria — 2015 to 2025 (per campaign)

Key Fields

fnar_bezeichnung (crop type)

fs_flaeche_ha (area ha)

snar_bezeichnung (fallback)

Proxy Endpoints

/api/invekos/fields//api/invekos/history/

🏔 External Data

Bodenkarte

The Austrian Soil Map (Österreichische Bodenkarte) is published by the BFW (Bundesforschungszentrum für Wald) as vector tile layers in Mapbox GL style format. AlpsDataFarm proxies these tiles to avoid CORS restrictions.

Layer

Layer	Key	Description
Bodentypengruppe	`typengruppe`	15 soil type groups
Bodentyp	`bodentyp`	57 soil types (Fink 1969)
Humusgehalt	`humuswert`	Humus content top horizon
Bodenreaktion	`bodenreaktion`	pH reaction top horizon
Ackerland-Eignung	`ackerwert`	Arable land suitability
Grünland-Eignung	`gruenlandwert`	Grassland suitability
Gründigkeit	`gruendigkeit`	Root penetration depth

Proxy endpoints (no auth required):

/api/bodenkarte/style/{key}.json/api/bodenkarte/tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.pbf

Source: bodenkarte.at — CC BY 3.0 BFW Austria

AlpsDataFarm Docs