Amazon Basin Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Profile Data

Soil profiles provide organic carbon and nitrogen measurements for the Amazon Basin region, created as a subset of a global dataset. The data were compiled from field surveys conducted between 1965 and 1984 and from existing soil literature, with bulk density estimated via regression for some samples. This dataset supports the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA), a NASA-sponsored international research initiative.

Use Cases

• Modeling regional soil carbon stocks using organic carbon content and bulk density columns.
• Analyzing spatial patterns of soil nutrients (carbon, nitrogen) across the Amazon Basin.
• Calibrating remote sensing estimates of soil organic matter with ground-truth point data.
• Studying the relationship between soil carbon content and estimated bulk density.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a 19-year period (1965-1984) from systematic field surveys.
• Bulk density was estimated using a regression model based on 1800 soil profiles with known measurements.
• Point data is available in multiple formats (CSV, Shapefile) for analysis.
• Dataset is associated with a major international research project (LBA), indicating scientific review.

Limitations

• Key factual details like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' date: one source lists 2026-03-13, while another lists 1984-12 31.
• Some samples from the literature lack uniform soil increments or direct bulk density measurements, relying on estimates.

Provenance

Source

Subset of the global organic soil carbon and nitrogen dataset by Zinke et al. (1986), sourced from field surveys and literature.

Collection Method

Soil samples collected at uniform increments with laboratory analysis; bulk density estimated via regression for literature-sourced profiles.

Time Range

1965 to 1984

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:18:41.570496

Geography

Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) region: 10°N to 25°S, 30° to 85°W.