NFI Soil Condition & Health

<p>Chemical indicators measured include: soil pH (measured in water and CaCl2), organic carbon content (%), total nitrogen (%), available phosphorus (mg/kg), exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na in cmol/kg), cation exchange capacity (cmol/kg), base saturation (%), and heavy metal concentrations where applicable.</p><p>Physical indicators measured include: soil texture (% sand, silt, clay), bulk density (g/cm³), porosity (%), aggregate stability, moisture content at sampling, and soil depth profiles.</p><p>Samples were collected at multiple depth intervals (0-10cm, 10-20cm, 20-40cm) using standardised protocols aligned with ICP Forests and BioSoil methodologies. Each sampling location includes associated metadata on forest type, tree species composition, stand age, and management history.</p><p>The data supports assessment of forest soil quality, carbon stock estimation, nutrient cycling evaluation, and monitoring of soil changes in response to forest management and environmental pressures. Quality assurance procedures included duplicate sampling, laboratory reference standards, and inter-laboratory comparisons.</p><p>Limitations: &nbsp;Data coverage is limited to forest soils only. Some historical samples may have incomplete heavy metal analysis. Seasonal variation should be considered when interpreting results.</p><p>The 'NFI+ Soil Condition &amp; Health' is a project funded by the UK Government through Defra’s Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme (NCEA).</p>