Great Britain Topsoil pH and Bulk Density Estimates from Countryside Survey

Countryside Survey data provides model estimates of topsoil pH and bulk density for Great Britain. The analysis is based on 2614 soil cores collected from 591 one-kilometer squares in 2007. Estimates are derived for combinations of habitat and parent material characteristics.

Use Cases

• Model soil acidity (pH) trends across different Broad Habitat types using the 2007 survey data.
• Analyze bulk density variations by Parent Material Model characteristics to assess soil compaction.
• Compare estimated mean values for habitat/parent material combinations between survey years 1978, 1998, and 2007.

Strengths

• Based on 2614 physical soil cores, providing a substantial sample for modeling.
• Spatially representative, covering 591 one-kilometer squares across Great Britain.
• Incorporates data from multiple survey years (1978, 1998, 2007) for temporal analysis.

Limitations

• Data consists of model estimates, not raw measurements, which may obscure local variability.
• Temporal coverage is limited to three specific survey years, not a continuous time series.
• Focus on topsoil (0-15 cm depth) excludes deeper soil properties.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Field collection of soil cores with laboratory analysis, followed by statistical modeling to produce habitat/parent material estimates.

Time Range

2007 (primary collection), with model estimates incorporating data from 1978 and 1998.

Freshness

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Geography

Great Britain