Winter topsoil physico-chemical properties from the UKCEH Countryside Survey, Great Britain, 2021

The 1km grid squares sampled in the topsoil winter survey were selected from the whole Countryside Survey (CS) square population. Squares featuring only non-target habitats (Broadleaved and Coniferous woodlands, Bogs and Fen, Marsh, and Swamp) were excluded. Care was taken to replicate the CS square distribution within environmental zones as closely as possible within the given constraints.

Within each of the 146 x 1-km sample squares, a set of soil samples were taken from up to 5 pre-determined randomly dispersed locations (where practically possible). The soil sample analysed for soil metrics was taken using a black plastic core ('C-core'), 15 cm long, from a location co-incident with vegetation surveys.
After collection, the soil cores were refrigerated and stored until posted, usually within a couple of days, to laboratories at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), Bangor and Lancaster. Analysed data were transferred to secure databases at UKCEH following sample analysis.

A robust system is in place to apply quality assurance (QA) checks to the data on a regular basis. UKCEH laboratory staff and data scientists developed a data workflow to ensure the highest possible data standard using R-scripts and guidance documents. Throughout this workflow, any changes or updates made to the dataset are recorded against the data record and the QA step that necessitated the change, to ensure data processing is transparent and auditable.

This dataset is included in the following collections

Countryside Survey