Soil physico-chemical properties from eight UK agricultural sites, 2022

Soil sampling was undertaken at pre-determined locations across the sites covering the areas where different plots of perennial biomass crops were to be planted. At each sampling location, a soil sample was taken to 30 cm depth using a Split tube sampler and then split into 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm depth increments. Due to the nature of soil, these depths had to be adjusted for some sites; in particular, due to the stoniness of soils.

After sampling the samples were placed in an insulated cool box and transported to UKCEH (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) Lancaster as soon as possible. Samples were then stored at 4°C in a dark fridge at UKCEH Lancaster until processing started within two weeks of the collection date.

Standardised procedures were followed to analyse the soils from all sites for a range of soil characteristics including, pH, soil moisture, stone content, bulk density, organic matter content, soil texture, total carbon and nitrogen content, moisture and Loss-on-Ignition (LOI), Soil texture at the laboratory at UKCEH Lancaster. Due to atypically high values for total carbon content at one site (Auchincruive) archived samples from the site were also analysed by Thermo-Gravimetric Analyses (TGA) by the laboratory at UKCEH Bangor.

Results from analyses were collated into Excel spreadsheets. Data were exported as comma separated value files for deposit into the Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC)