Soils

We use soil moisture probes to monitor high resolution changes in soil moisture as rainfall and river levels change.

The density and porosity of soil affects its drainage properties, and how easily plant roots can penetrate the ground and take up water and nutrients. Soil compaction has also been linked to fungal and invertebrate diversity.

Samples of soils in 5cm cylindrical rings or “soil cores” have been collected across the Living Lab landscape to measure factors including bulk density, volumetric water content and field capacity.