Instruction on soil samples collection and preparation


Download the last version and the previous versions of the Instruction on Soil Samples collection and their preparation. This Instruction is based on the following ICOS protocols and documents:

  • Saby et al., 2016 “Soil carbon stocks”
  • Jolivet et al. 2016 “Volumetric sample for the determination of bulk density”. In “Manual for the French soil monitoring network”, version 1.1. Available upon request from INRA US 1106 InfoSol
  • ETC “Instructions_ECO_Spatial_sampling”
  • International Standard ISO-11074-2:1998 (Soil quality – Vocabulary – Part 2: terms and definitions relating to sampling)
  • Kruger et al,. 2016 “Calculating carbon changes in peat soils drained for forestry with four different profile-based methods”, For Ecol Manag, 381, 29-36, 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.09.006
  • WRB IUSS Working Group WRB, 2015 “World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, update 2015, International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps”. World Soil Resources Reports No. 106. FAO

and published in:
Arrouays D, Saby N P, Boukir H, et al. Soil sampling and preparation for monitoring soil carbon. Int. Agrophys. 2018;32(4):633-643. doi:10.1515/intag-2017-0047

The Instruction document can be cited as:
Loustau, D., Jolivet, C., Lafont, S., Loubet, B., Klumpp, K., Papale, D., & Arrouays, D. (2017). ICOS Ecosystem Instructions for Soil Samples Collection and Preparation (Version 20230727). ICOS Ecosystem Thematic Centre. https://doi.org/10.18160/k3yc-td6h

Instruction document history and download

Version Changes respect to the previous
20230727
download...		 Corrected the code of the SP-I mineral soil sample (eq. 1), deleted redundant sections, highlighted that it is needed to send also a picture of cores and pits.
20230526 Changed the address of the Soil Analysis Laboratory where the samples must be sent.
20211109 Summary modified in order to highlight some crucial step needed before the sampling. Added information and clarification for the histic soils. Added instructions on how to submit the soil classification and description (pdf document) and the WRB class with the BAMD. Clarified that W70 R and W105_S should be always submitted even in case of all zeros. Mentioned to send 50 g aliquot from holorganic samples to the Central Soil Analysis Laboratory. Clarified how SOC and SON content and soil texture are measured (Annex 3 and 4). General revision of the document structure.
20201020 Clarified that sampling design (i.e. location of all the points and their verification) must be completed before starting the soil samples collection. Clarified how to correctly mane the samples collected in the different SP-II locations. Added a reference email address to contact to organize the shipment or soil samples.
20200319 Complete revision of the part regarding the organic layers (figure 17): a) clarified that also coarse elements should be removed from the fresh sample; b) added the weight of the holorganic fresh sample (W30_OH); c) added the possibility to weight also the coarse elements and living plant material (and specified the temperatures); d) removed the drying of the organic matter at 70°C; e) added the submission of the organic composite samples to the archiving facility. For the Mineral soil samples corrected the drying temperature of coarse elements (150 instead of 30) and all living plant material should be removed (not only roots). Added a table in the data submission section with the list of variables and BADM names. Other textual clarifications and changes
20180322 Corrected the units of SUMWAl,s and WA30i,l,s (kg m-2), suggested to exclude Post Office as carrier for samples transportation. Clarified that metadata and correct labelling of samples are mandatory for the analysis. Other minor textual editing.
20170530 Explained labeling of soil bags, correction of wrong reference to annexes.
20170421 First version

doi: 10.18160/k3yc-td6h


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