Laboratory data soil

Chemical and physical soil analyses are required for the classification of soils and for the description of the soil condition. The results are essential for ecological and economic assessments. Common soil questions include: — Availability of plant nutrients — Buffer capacity against acid inputs; Soil acidification — Protection function for groundwater — Content of heavy metals relevant to the environment — Soil formation processes Many important data and information on soil physics and soil chemical characteristics come from the laboratories of the Geological Service NRW. In order for the laboratory facilities to meet the wide range of requirements, they are equipped with modern analysers specially adapted to the individual geoscientific questions. Analytical work in the geochemical laboratory is supported by a Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS). The LIMS is an automation tool for sample and data management and supports the organisation and management of laboratory work. The LIMS contains, among other things, analytical results for soil chemical and soil physics laboratory tests. The collected analytical results for a contract are presented in EXCEL tables after final audit. The required calculations of parameters from the results are carried out automatically. Soil physical parameters provide information about air balance, water balance, nutrient behavior, permeability and filterability of the soil and thus also about ways to improve soil flakeability. The formation conditions of the different soils can also be derived from the laboratory results. This in turn allows conclusions to be drawn about environmental conditions in past eras. The statements that soil physics can make are therefore relevant not only for soil science and hydrogeological, but also for geological maps. Soil physical investigations are also used to determine the composition of the soil. An important laboratory result is the grain size distribution of the soil, which essentially determines its properties and its suitability for use. Other soil physical parameters include storage density, air, water and total pore volume, pore size distribution and water permeability. From soil physics studies there are: — Data from soil samples from excavations — Anonymised data for the calculation of soil characteristics — Anonymised data for the calculation of unsaturated water permeability — Data from the soil status survey in the forest (BZE) Soil chemical analyses are carried out on numerous humus and mineral soil samples derived from various soil mappings using standardised testing methods. Numerous routinely collected parameters provide information about soil quality: — pH (determination of acidity and acidification depth) — Carbonate content (assessment of buffer capacity) — Carbon and nitrogen content (statements on the biological status and chemical-physical properties of soils; the quotient Corg/N — organic carbon/nitrogen — serves as an indicator of biological soil activity and as a benchmark for humus quality) — Phosphorus content (important plant nutrient; the quotient Corg/P is used to characterise the humus species) — soil-forming oxides (statements on soil formation processes with the help of oxides of iron, manganese and aluminium) — Recording of ecologically important element stocks (nutrients and harmful heavy metals in the humus pad and in the mineral soil) From soil chemical studies there are: — Data from soil samples from excavations — Data from the soil status survey in the forest (BZE) — Data on heavy metal bases in solid rocks NRW — Data on heavy metal bases in loose rocks NRW — Data on heavy metal bases from UBA project — Data from soil samples of urban soil mapping — Data on heavy metal levels of soil samples from urban soil mapping — Data on organics (PAK and PCB) of soil samples from urban soil mapping