soilDB 2.8.0

soilDB 2.8.0 (2023-12-22)

• Minimum {aqp} version set to v2.0.2. This is due to changes in the namespace related to aqp::col2Munsell(), to "encourage" users to update to the more efficient routines provided in {aqp} 2+ (if they haven't already), and prepare for future updates in the 2.x series.
• Fix bugs in get_SDA_interpretation() when dsn refers to a local SQLite source and in concatenation of reason string when wide_reason=TRUE. Thanks to Kevin Wolz (@kevinwolz)
• createSSURGO() updates:
  • Breaking change: Now uses the standard SSURGO layer names for spatial data (e.g. "mupolygon" rather than "soilmu_a").
  • Creates indices for foreign keys and other columns important for data analysis, dramatically improving the performance of standard queries on SQLite sources.
  • Now works properly on STATSGO data sets for individual states or CONUS. Previously tabular data would be transferred but spatial data were not.
• downloadSSURGO() gains db argument which gives ability to download STATSGO by state or all of US from Web Soil Survey. Thanks to Meghan Krueger for suggestion.
• get_SDA_property(): weighted average/dominant component numeric methods now return mukey in first column position; for parity with other get_SDA* methods recently updated/already doing this, making it easier to use these columns for raster attribute tables via terra::set.levels()
• fetchNASIS(lab=TRUE) fixed a bug when multiple phlabresults records are present for a single horizon, but one or both is missing bottom depth. Thanks to Meyer Bohn (@MollicMeyer) for reporting.
• SoilProfileCollection objects now include a time stamp in their metadata, accessed as: metadata(x)$created (#235)
• Added area_type argument to fetchLDM() for non-SSA area queries (#328)
• Added grid argument to fetchSoilGrids() for downloading Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF subsets for spatial extent (#329)
• fetchOSD() now automatically batches requests into sets of 100 series, allowing arbitrarily large requests to be made (#239)

What's Changed

• Testing new aqp::col2Munsell() replacing aqp::rgb2munsell() by @dylanbeaudette in #325
• soilDB v2.8.0 by @brownag in #327
• fetchLDM: add area_type argument for non-SSA area queries by @brownag in #328
• fetchSoilGrids: add grid argument for downloading COG subsets for extent by @brownag in #329

Full Changelog: 2.7.10...2.8.0