UK Topsoil Physico-Chemical Properties from the Countryside Survey, 2020

Great Britain's topsoil properties measured across 49 one-kilometer squares in 2020. The dataset includes soil organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, conductivity, bulk density, and water content, collected as part of a rolling five-year monitoring program. The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology conducts this survey using a stratified random sample based on a national grid, with historical surveys dating back to 1978.

Use Cases

• Model soil carbon sequestration based on measured soil organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations.
• Analyze soil acidity and nutrient availability trends using pH and Olsen-phosphorous measurements.
• Assess soil physical structure and water retention using bulk density and volumetric water content data.
• Monitor long-term environmental change by comparing 2020 soil properties with historical survey data.

Strengths

• Data collected from 49 spatially distributed one-kilometer squares using a stratified random sampling method.
• Includes nine specific physico-chemical properties: soil organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, conductivity, bulk density, and water content.
• Part of a long-term monitoring program with repeated surveys since 1978, enabling temporal analysis.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The dataset description states it has been withdrawn, which may affect data availability or validity.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH).

Collection Method

Soil samples taken from topsoil (0-15cm) in a stratified random sample of 1km squares based on a 15km grid.

Time Range

2020 (part of a series including 1978, 1984, 1990, 1998, 2007).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-19 07:39:25.860302; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Britain.