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Topsoil physico-chemical properties from the UKCEH Countryside Survey, Great Britain, 2024

This dataset consists of measures of topsoil (0-15 cm) physico-chemical properties from soils sampled from 105 x 1-km squares across Great Britain in 2024 as part of a rolling soil and vegetation monitoring program of 500 1-km squares repeated every 5 years, where 2024 is the first year of a new monitoring cycle. The properties included are: pH, soil organic matter (loss on ignition, LOI), derived carbon concentration and carbon stock (soil organic carbon, SOC), soil group, soil bulk density of fine earth, soil moisture of wet soil, fine earth volumetric water content (dry), nitrogen concentration and stock, and Olsen-phosphorus concentration. These samples are co-located with a botanical survey as part of the integrated monitoring approach, which is also available on the EIDC. The UKCEH Countryside Survey is a unique study or 'audit' of the natural resources of the UK's countryside. The sample sites are chosen from a stratified random sample, based on a 15 by 15 km grid of GB. Previous monitoring cycles have been carried out in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1998, 2007and 2019-2023 by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and predecessors, with repeated visits to most of the squares each monitoring cycle. The countryside is sampled and surveyed using rigorous scientific methods, allowing us to compare new results with those from previous surveys. In this way, we can detect the gradual and subtle changes that occur in the UK's countryside over time. In addition to soil data, vegetation species data are also gathered by the current phase of the UKCEH Countryside Survey. This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability and through the UKCEH National Capability for UK Challenges Programme NE/Y006208/1. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/cab9f36c-075e-4359-8781-24a8488641c3

Simple

Date (Publication)
2025-12-15
Identifier
https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/cab9f36c-075e-4359-8781-24a8488641c3
Identifier
doi: / 10.5285/cab9f36c-075e-4359-8781-24a8488641c3
Other citation details
Bentley, L., Brentegani, M., Tandy, S., Ebuele, V., Deacon, A., Fitos, E., Patton, J., Garbutt, A., Williams, G., Wood, C., Lebron, I., Robinson, D., Smart, S., Maskell, L., Keith, A., O'Neil, A., Henrys, P., Andrews, C., Campbell, K., Doyle, S., Gray, A., Hancock, G., Highfield, C., Nemeth, K., Pallett, D.W., Scarlett, P., Vallis-Wilks, M., Wagner, M. (2025). Topsoil physico-chemical properties from the UKCEH Countryside Survey, Great Britain, 2024. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre 10.5285/cab9f36c-075e-4359-8781-24a8488641c3
Point of contact
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Bentley, L.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Bentley, L.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5055-7673
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Brentegani, M.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Tandy, S.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Ebuele, V.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Deacon, A.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Fitos, E.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Patton, J.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Garbutt, A.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9145-9786
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Williams, G.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Wood, C.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0394-2998
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Lebron, I.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8610-9717
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Robinson, D.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Smart, S.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2750-7832
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Maskell, L.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4006-7755
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Keith, A.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - O'Neil, A.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Henrys, P.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Andrews, C.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Campbell, K.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Doyle, S.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Gray, A.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Hancock, G.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Highfield, C.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Nemeth, K.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Pallett, D.W.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Scarlett, P.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Vallis-Wilks, M.
Author
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Wagner, M.
Owner
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Publisher
  NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
Custodian
  NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
  • Soil
GEMET - Concepts, version 4.1.3
  • carbon stock
  • monitoring
  • nutrient
  • soil
  • soil condition
  • soil quality
Keywords
  • Soil
  • Environmental survey
  • bulk density
  • nitrogen
  • pH
  • Great Britain
  • national monitoring
Access constraints
otherRestrictions Other restrictions
Other constraints
no limitations
Use constraints
otherRestrictions Other restrictions
Other constraints
This resource is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Use constraints
otherRestrictions Other restrictions
Other constraints
If you reuse this data, you should cite: Bentley, L., Brentegani, M., Tandy, S., Ebuele, V., Deacon, A., Fitos, E., Patton, J., Garbutt, A., Williams, G., Wood, C., Lebron, I., Robinson, D., Smart, S., Maskell, L., Keith, A., O'Neil, A., Henrys, P., Andrews, C., Campbell, K., Doyle, S., Gray, A., Hancock, G., Highfield, C., Nemeth, K., Pallett, D.W., Scarlett, P., Vallis-Wilks, M., Wagner, M. (2025). Topsoil physico-chemical properties from the UKCEH Countryside Survey, Great Britain, 2024. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre https://doi.org/10.5285/cab9f36c-075e-4359-8781-24a8488641c3
Spatial representation type
textTable Text, table
Metadata language
EnglishEnglish
Character set
utf8 UTF8
Topic category
  • Environment
Begin date
2024-01-01
End date
2024-12-31
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Unique resource identifier
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Distribution format
  • Comma-separated values (CSV) ()

Distributor
  NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
OnLine resource
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Hierarchy level
dataset Dataset
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dataset

Conformance result

Date (Publication)
2010-12-08
Statement
Within each of 105 x 1km sample squares, a set of soil samples were taken from up to 5 pre-determined randomly dispersed locations (where practically possible). In addition and where practically possible (and for the first time in the Countryside Survey), up to three additional soil samples were taken per 1km square, associated with linear features in proximity to one of the randomly dispersed sampling locations. These linear feature soil samples were taken from a plot associated with a hedgerow, a streamside and a boundary (maximum of one sample per plot type per square). The soil samples analysed for soil metrics were taken using a 15 cm long soil core, 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. Two additional 15cm soil cores were taken from each randomly dispersed plot and stored in the UKCEH soil bank, available for further use, along with any remaining material from soil cores used in analysis. For additional information, see the attached meta-data.
File identifier
cab9f36c-075e-4359-8781-24a8488641c3 XML
Metadata language
EnglishEnglish
Character set
ISO/IEC 8859-1 (also known as Latin 1) 8859 Part 1
Hierarchy level
dataset Dataset
Hierarchy level name
dataset
Date stamp
2026-02-12T13:34:15
Metadata standard name
UK GEMINI
Metadata standard version
2.3
Point of contact
  NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg , Lancaster , LA1 4AP , UK
https://eidc.ac.uk/
 
 

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Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Soil

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