Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Site Characteristics from UK Sheep Farms, 2016

A single time-point spatial sampling dataset contains site characteristics, soil parameters, and greenhouse gas flux measurements from two sheep-grazed pasture sites in North Wales and Devon, UK. Data was collected on November 30, 2016 at the extensive site and August 1, 2016 at the intensive site, capturing variables like elevation, soil bulk density, and nitrous oxide flux. The study was part of the NERC-funded Uplands-N2O project and BBSRC-supported research.

Use Cases

• Model nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and methane flux using predictors like soil bulk density, soil moisture, and soil organic matter contents.
• Analyze the relationship between site characteristics such as elevation, slope, and compound topographic index with soil ammonium nitrogen concentration.
• Compare soil parameters including soil pH, soil nitrate nitrogen concentration, and carbon to nitrogen content ratio between extensive and intensive management sites.
• Assess spatial variability of soil percentage total carbon contents and soil percentage total nitrogen contents across the sampled grid references.

Strengths

• Includes detailed soil parameters like soil bulk density, soil pH, and soil organic matter contents for two distinct farm sites.
• Captures three key greenhouse gas fluxes (nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, methane) alongside environmental drivers.
• Provides precise geographic coordinates and site characteristics for both an 11.5 ha site in North Wales and a 1.78 ha site in Devon.

Limitations

• Data is from a single sampling day per site in 2016, offering no temporal trend or seasonal variation.
• Sample size is limited to two farm sites, restricting generalizability to other agricultural systems or geographies.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre, from the NERC Uplands-N2O project and BBSRC-supported Rothamsted Research.

Collection Method

Single time-point spatial sampling of site characteristics, soil parameters, and soil greenhouse gas emissions.

Time Range

2016 (specific sampling dates: 2016-11-30 for Extensive site, 2016-08-01 for Intensive site).

Freshness

Data reflects a 2016 snapshot; last metadata update was 2026-03 -11.

Geography

Two UK sites: Henfaes Research Station, Abergwyngregyn, North Wales and North Wyke Farm Platform, Okehampton, Devon.