Other soil data resources in Scotland

There are a number of other organisations that collect soil data and information in Scotland. A selection of soil datasets available are outlined below.

The National Soils Inventory (NSI) Scotland, is held by the Macaulay Institute and contains information on soils from more than 700 sites in Scotland. Soils were initially sampled between 1978 and 1987 (NSIS_1) and analysed for their physical and chemical properties. A selection of these original sites were revisited in 2007-2009 (NSIS_2) to test the suitability of a range of sampling and analytical techniques for monitoring changes in soil over time as well as to get an indication of any changes in soil properties that have occurred since the original sampling.
The Geochemical Baseline Survey of the Environment (G-BASE) is carried out by the British Geological Survey (BGS) and provides systematic data on the geochemistry of Great Britain’s rural surface environment based on soils, stream sediments and stream water. No soil samples were taken in Scotland.
An earthworm survey of 200 agricultural fields (arable and grassland) was carried out in 1991/92 by the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) and is currently repeated to assess the impact of climate change (and flatworms) on earthworm populations.
The Countryside Survey (CS) was set up to provide ecological information on sites across Great Britain representing the main types of landscape, land cover and soils groups. Soils were sampled in 1978, 1998 and 2007 to improve the understanding of links between soil biology, chemistry and the wider environment, with the number of sites samples and soil properties measured increasing through time. In 1998 the number of sampling sites across Scotland was increased to enable reporting on Scotland alone.
The Environmental Change Network (ECN) is the UK’s long-term monitoring and research programme set up to gather information about pressures on, and responses to, environmental changes. Three terrestrial monitoring sites are situated in Scotland: in the Cairngorms; at Glensaugh near Aberdeen; and at Sourhope in the Borders. At these sites, soil solution is sampled every fortnight and soil cores are sampled every five years. Soil samples are analysed for selected chemical parameters. Soil samples taken from soil pits every 20 years are analysed for a wider range of chemical properties and also for physical parameters.
The UK Soil Indicator Consortium (UKSIC) consisted of a group of public stakeholders which was set up in 2003 to develop a UK set of soil quality indicators and a soil monitoring scheme to meet both national and European requirements.