Comparison of clod and core methods for determination of soil bulk density

Abstract

An interagency forest monitoring program has been initiated on a systematic network of forested plots often accessible only by foot traffic along a compass line. Extensive site classification and physiochemistry data are being collected for vegetation and soil indicators of forest health. In order to select a suitable technique for obtaining an estimate of mineral soil bulk density, conventional clod and core methods were compared across a wide range of forest soils within the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia. Replicate soil clods and cores were collected from two to four horizons within each of six pedons representing different soil series. Following analysis, the sample data were used to evaluate main and interaction effects due to differences in the method, series, horizon, and texture effects. Differences between the clod and core data were highly significant on average (P < 0.001) as were all of the main effects. Both methods exhibited high precision (average CV < 5%) within the individual horizons sampled. The two data sets were highly correlated (r = 0.98), and the regression equation used to predict clod bulk density with data from the core method is: Clod BD = (1.011 x Core BD) + 0.068; standard errors of ±0.042 and ±0.048 for the slope and intercept, respectively. From an operational standpoint, the core method appears to have many advantages over the clod method for sampling in remote locations.