Soil Properties from 64 Paired Organic and Conventional Farm Sites, 2006-2010

2006-2010 soil data from 64 field sites across 48 farms in England, with 29 measured variables including texture, organic matter, and hydrological condition. The dataset captures paired comparisons between 21 organic and conventional farms, focusing on the effects of farming scale and management regimes.

Use Cases

• Compare soil organic matter content and aggregate stability between organic and conventional farm sites to assess management impacts.
• Analyze soil texture and shear strength variables to model relationships with fuel consumption and work rate data.
• Use hydrological condition (HOST) and infiltration rate data to evaluate water quality impacts from differing agricultural practices.
• Investigate how soil variables correlate with farm size (40 to 3000 acres) and livestock type (dairy, beef, sheep) across two English regions.

Strengths

• Data from 64 distinct field sites provides spatial replication for analysis.
• 29 measured soil variables offer a multi-faceted view of soil condition.
• Paired design comparing 21 organic farms with conventional counterparts controls for local geography.
• Temporal coverage from 2006-2007 research provides a stable historical snapshot.

Limitations

• Sample size of 48 farms may limit statistical power for sub-group analyses.
• Geographic focus on two English regions with strong organic presence may not generalize nationally.
• Data is from a specific 2006-2007 period and may not reflect current soil conditions.

Provenance

Source

NERC Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) programme, Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Field site measurements and farmer interviews; organic farms identified via certification bodies (Soil Association, Organic Farmers and Growers).

Time Range

2006-2010

Freshness

null

Geography

Two study sites in England: the English Midlands and southern England.