125 sites in southcentral Wisconsin have been sampled since 1999 for soil carbon, nitrogen, bulk density, and land-use history. The dataset likely contains measurements from agricultural land, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land, restored and remnant prairies, and pastures. This research was conducted by SAGE scientists and supported by S.C. Johnson and Sons Inc., Madison Gas and Electric Corp (MGE), and The Barker Fund.
Use Cases
- Analyze soil carbon sequestration potential based on land-use history data mentioned in the description
- Compare soil organic matter levels between traditional cropping systems and restored prairie ecosystems
- Model the impact of farm management practices (e.g., reduced tillage, cover crops) on soil nitrogen storage
- Assess soil fertility and water holding capacity improvements linked to increased soil organic matter
Strengths
- 125 sampled sites provide a substantial observational base
- Long-term campaign initiated in 1999 suggests temporal depth
- Data covers multiple land-use types: cropping systems, CRP, prairies, and pastures
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
- Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to its focus on Sauk, Columbia, Dane, and Jefferson counties
Provenance
- Source
- SAGE scientists, supported by S.C. Johnson and Sons Inc., Madison Gas and Electric Corp (MGE), and The Barker Fund
- Collection Method
- Long-term campaign of soil sampling and monitoring
- Time Range
- Campaign initiated in 1999
- Geography
- Southcentral Wisconsin, primarily Sauk, Columbia, Dane, and Jefferson counties