soilcore

Soilcore, commonly written as soil core, is a cylindrical sample of soil removed from the ground for laboratory analysis and field observation. It is used to study soil horizons, texture, moisture, nutrients, and biological activity while preserving the vertical arrangement of layers in undisturbed form.

Extraction uses a soil corer, auger, or split-spoon sampler. Undisturbed cores employ thin-walled tubes made of stainless steel or plastic to minimize disturbance. For shallow surveys, simple hand-driven corers suffice; deeper sampling may require mechanical or hydraulic rigs. Core diameter and length vary with objectives, typically from a few centimeters to several decimeters.

Field handling aims to maintain core integrity. The core is capped, labeled, and stored in sealed containers. To preserve moisture and structure, cores are kept at field moisture content or refrigerated when feasible. In the laboratory, cores may be split to examine stratification, or processed as disturbed samples if structure is not required.

Analyses cover physical, chemical, and biological properties. Physical properties include texture, bulk density, porosity, and structural stability. Chemical analyses measure pH, organic matter, and nutrient content (for example nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Biological assessments may quantify microbial biomass and soil respiration. Data from cores support soil mapping, fertility evaluation, and environmental monitoring.

Applications include agriculture and forestry, hydrology, contaminant transport, and carbon sequestration research. Limitations include distortion during extraction, moisture changes, and cross-contamination between layers. Standardized methods exist to improve comparability of results.