Countryside survey of topsoil in Great Britain

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil bulk density (g cm^-3) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Bulk density was estimated by making detailed weight measurements throughout the soil processing procedure. For topsoil bulk density data, a total of 2614 cores from 591 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil carbon concentration (g kg^-1) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Carbon concentration was estimated by multiplying loss on ignition by a factor of 0.55. For topsoil carbon data data, a total of 2614 cores from 591 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil carbon density (t ha^-1) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Carbon density was estimated by combining carbon concentration (g kg^-1) with bulk density (g cm^-3) estimates. For topsoil carbon data, a total of 2614 cores from 591 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) rank using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and CaCO₃ rank in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil C:N ratio data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. For C:N ratio data, a total of 1024 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil loss-on-ignition (LOI) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. LOI (%) was determined by combustion of 10g dry soil at 375°C for 16 hours. For topsoil carbon data, a total of 2614 cores from 591 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil invertebrate Shannon diversity data is representative of 0–8cm soil depth. For topsoil invertebrate data, a total of 947 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/soil group using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and soil group in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil total invertebrate catch data is representative of 0–8cm soil depth. For topsoil invertebrate data, a total of 947 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil Mite:Springtail ratio data is representative of 0–8cm soil depth. For topsoil invertebrate data, a total of 947 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil number of invertebrate broad taxa data is representative of 0–8cm soil depth. For topsoil invertebrate data, a total of 947 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil Olsen-Phosphorus (mg kg^-1) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. For Olsen-P data, a total of 1054 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil pH data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Topsoil pH was measured using 10g of field moist soil with 25ml de-ionised water giving a ratio of soil to water of 1:2.5 by weight. For topsoil bulk density data, a total of 2614 cores from 591 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) rank using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and CaCO₃ rank in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil total nitrogen (N) concentration (%) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. For topsoil total N concentration data, a total of 1024 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/dominant grain size class using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil moisture (%) data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Gravimetric soil moisture was estimated by making detailed weight measurements throughout the soil processing procedure. For topsoil bulk density data, a total of 2614 cores from 591 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/both dominant grain size class and calcium carbonate content using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and dominant grain size class in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil microbes data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Soils were collected from over 1000 plots within 233 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007. Bacterial communities were assessed using a molecular community profiling tool (tRFLP) with bacterial community structure represented using scores from the first axis of an ordination of the data.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and CaCO₃ content in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Published output

This is the dataset used in our paper publishing the results of this survey.

Griffiths, R I, Thomson, B C, James, P, Bell, T, Bailey, M, Whiteley, A S. 2011. The bacterial biogeography of British soils. Environmental Microbiology, 13 (6). 1642-1654. 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02480.x

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil microbes data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Soils were collected from over 1000 plots within 233 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007. Bacterial communities were assessed using a molecular community profiling tool (tRFLP) with Shannon diversity index calculated using using the relative abundance of each tRFLP peak within each sample.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and CaCO₃ content in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Published output

This is the dataset used in our paper publishing the results of this survey.

Griffiths, R I, Thomson, B C, James, P, Bell, T, Bailey, M, Whiteley, A S. 2011. The bacterial biogeography of British soils. Environmental Microbiology, 13 (6). 1642-1654. 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02480.x

Countryside Survey (CS) topsoil microbes data is representative of 0–15cm soil depth. Soils were collected from over 1000 plots within 233 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were collected and analysed in 2007. Bacterial communities were assessed using a molecular community profiling tool (tRFLP) with Shannon diversity index calculated using using the relative abundance of each tRFLP peak within each sample.

The estimated means of combinations of broad habitat/calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) using 2007 data are mapped on to the dominant habitat and CaCO₃ content in each 1km x 1km² derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009.

Published output

This is the dataset used in our paper publishing the results of this survey.

Griffiths, R I, Thomson, B C, James, P, Bell, T, Bailey, M, Whiteley, A S. 2011. The bacterial biogeography of British soils. Environmental Microbiology, 13 (6). 1642-1654. 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02480.x