The first sampling for the soil and vegetation inventory of arable land was done in 1994-1995. The program covers arable land in Sweden and is designed to describe the state of Swedish arable land and the quality of the crop in relation to soil status, cultivation measures, and means of operation. At present soil sampling is made in 2000 fixed sampling points visited every 10th year.
Department of Soil and Environment, SLU
P.O. Box 7014
SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Variables and media
Topsoil samples analysed for: pH (H2O), total carbon content, carbon content after acid treatment to remove carbonate carbon (organic C), total nitrogen and sulphur content, exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+, titrable acidity at pH 7, ammonium lactate-acetate soluble phosphorus (P-AL) and potassium (K-AL), and hydrochloric acid-soluble phosphorus (P-HCl) and potassium (K-HCl). In addition, arsenic (As), lead (Pb), caesium (Cs), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) after extraction in 7M HNO3.
Grain samples (winter wheat, spring barley and oats) analysed for total concentrations of the the macroelements calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) and the trace elements arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), caesium (Cs), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), strontium (Sr), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn).
A random stratified sampling model covering all arable land was used to select the sites. Soil samples are taken from the plough layer (0–20 cm) with an auger in a circle approximately 3 m in radius (one sample consists of 6–12 subsamples depending on the diameter of the auger). Grain of winter wheat, spring barley and oats is sampled in the same circle whenever one of those crops is grown at the site at the sampling occasions. For methods of analysis; see above