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Why is Soil Data Important to Scientists?

Soil characterization data are a key piece of the picture of how an ecosystem works. We need to know the properties of soil horizons so that we can predict how fast water will move through them. Soil properties also tell us whether the soil has the potential to store enough water to keep plants growing through a drought, to withstand a flood, and to provide the right combinations of chemicals to plants (as indicated in measurements of pH, and N, P, K levels) so that they will grow properly. The chemical and physical properties of soils that you measure in the GLOBE Soil Characterization protocols also tell us specific information about how well the soil will perform as a filter of wastes, as a home to organisms, as a location for buildings, and in other important uses. The more information we have about soil properties from GLOBE schools, the more we can evaluate the quality of our natural resources all over the world.

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