The Influence of a Soil Sample Core

Abstract

It is critical that we are careful, not casual, when sampling soils. Many dollars of fertilizer decision rest upon a good soil sample. Several years ago, I was curious about the influence of the number of sample cores that comprise a composite soil sample. A review of several soil-sampling publications at the time recommended anywhere from 8 to 20 individual cores should comprise the sample. So I endeavored to look at the statistics behind this suggestion. What I discovered will be discussed in this article. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by reading this article and taking the quiz at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses.