Soil Organic Matter Radiocarbon Ages Along Scottish Land-Use Chronosequences

Radiocarbon ages for soil organic matter fractions were measured from samples collected along grassland-to-forest conversion chronosequences across Scotland. Soil samples were collected in summer 2018, fractionated in 2019, and analyzed via accelerator mass spectrometry. The dataset is provided by the Environmental Information Data Centre.

Use Cases

• Model soil carbon turnover rates using radiocarbon age data across grassland-to-forest conversion chronosequences.
• Analyze changes in soil organic matter fractions, such as bulk soil and specific fractions, along land-use change gradients.
• Investigate the impact of coniferous forest establishment on soil carbon age and stability in Scottish environments.
• Correlate radiocarbon age measurements with environmental tags like soil type and location to assess sequestration potential.

Strengths

• Data is derived from accelerator mass spectrometry, a precise method for radiocarbon dating.
• Samples are from defined chronosequences, allowing for temporal analysis of land-use change impacts.
• Covers a specific geographic region (Scotland) with samples collected in a consistent time frame (summer 2018).

Limitations

• Sample size and spatial replication within chronosequences are unknown, limiting statistical power assessment.
• Lacks column-level metadata, obscuring the specific measured variables and their units.
• Temporal coverage is limited to samples from 2018, with no indication of long-term monitoring.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Soil samples collected in summer 2018, fractionated and analyzed by accelerator mass spectrometry in summer 2019.

Time Range

Sample collection in summer 2018; analysis in 2019.

Freshness

Last updated in March 2026, indicating recent metadata maintenance.

Geography

Scotland