Denmark
EST_HOR (estimated horizon database)
PROF_NUM (Profile number): The profile numbers are corrected (see EST_PROF).
HOR_NUM: ok
HOR_NAME: A few corrections are made in the designation of horizons and suffixes so that the
name of the horizon generally follows the FAO nomenclature (see spreadsheet). The corrections are
marked yellow.
DEPTHSTART & DEPTHEND: ok
AR_NA: All values are “-4” (meaning less than 4 (humid areas)). Only horizons in the Histosol
have the values “-999” (meaning: no data)
The following formula can be used to calculate the data:
SAR 
Na 
Ca   Mg 

2
2
BD (Bulk density):
Origin of data: From a single representative profile or expert judgement:
There are data for all profiles.
The chart below shows the bulk density in relation to the content of organic matter. The bulk
density clearly decreases with increasing content of organic matter. The data therefore seem very
reliable.
1
Denmark
1,80
bulk density (g/cm3)
1,60
1,40
1,20
1,00
0,80
0,60
0,40
0,20
0,00
0,0
20,0
40,0
60,0
80,0
100,0
% organic matter
BS: (Base saturation):
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
Base saturation should be calculated as:
Base saturation =
TEB
CEC
TEB = Total amount of Exchangeable Bases
CEC = The CEC should be measured at pH 8,1.
The validity of the data is checked by summing the base cations and dividing with CEC. None of
the calculated values for base saturation differed more than 2% from the “given value”.
The following formula gives a good estimate of base saturation in the soil.
BS 
pH (1 : 2,5 H 2 O )  4
0,043
The chart below shows the ralationship between pH and base saturation for the excisting data in the
database for Denmark. The red line indicates the above formula. Here the base saturation at pH 4,0
should ideally be 0% and 100% at pH 8,1. The dashed lines indicate a bufferzone of 1 pH unit on
each side of the red line. If the data are within this bufferzone the data are considered reliable.
2
Denmark
10,0
9,0
pH (H2O)
8,0
7,0
6,0
5,0
4,0
3,0
0
20
40
60
80
100
% base saturation
Note: Base saturation values that are outside the bufferzone created by the two dashed lines are
highlighted in the spreadsheet. The values are marked “red” if the base saturation is too high
compared to the value obtained by the above formula (below lower dashed line). The value is
marked “turquoise” if it too low (above the upper dashed line).
Result: The data for base saturation seem very reliable.
C_N (C/N-ratios): ok
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
CACO3_ACT: ok. Data lack when data for CACO3_TOT is above 0%.
CACO3_TOT: Data for most horizons.
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
CASO4: ok
Origin of data: Expert judgement
CEC:
3
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
For this data base (EST_HOR) the value for CEC should have been given as: exchangeable base
cations + exchangeable acidity at pH 8,1.
Control of the data:
The CEC values are controlled by two equations. A low estimate and a high estimate. The CEC
value of the horizons should be within range of these two estimates:
Low estimate:
CEClow = 0,1 * % clay + % humus
High estimate:
CEChigh= 1,3 * % clay + 3,5 humus
The theory of low estimate is that the clay is dominated by clay with low cation adsorption potential
(kaolinit: 5-15 cmol(+)/kg) and only little reactive humus/organic matter (100 cmol(+)/kg.
The high estimate is based on the asumption that the clay is dominated by highly reactive clay
minerals as vermiculit (100-120 cmol(+)/kg and that the humus/organic matter is very reactive (350
cmol(+)/kg.
Result: All data are within the “zone” created by the low and high estimate.
EC (electric conductivity): The values should be grouped as follows:
Origin of data: Expert judgement
-999:
-998:
1:
2:
3:
4:
Missing value
Not applicable (rock or organic horizon)
Free: 0-4 dS/m
Slightly affected: 4-8 dS/m
Moderately affected:8-15 dS/m
Strongly affected: >15 dS/m
All horizons have the value “1”, “2” or “3”.
EXCH_CA, EXCH_K, EXCH_MG & EXCH_NA:
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
All horizons contain data on base cations.
Quality of the data: The values in the dataset are difficult to evaluate, but a general assumption has
been carried out that: exchangeable calcium exceeds the sum of exchangeable Mg, K and Na at pH
(H20)-values > 5:
4
[Ca2+] > [Mg2+] + [K+] + [Na+]
if pH (H20) > 5,0
Result: Only two horizons do not follow the above assumption. However these are influenced by
seawater.
EXCH_NAP: All values -10 (meaning less than 15% (humid area)).
GRAVEL: ok
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
OM (Organic matter): ok.
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
POR: Data for all profiles!
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
The data was checked via the following formula:
 BD 
POR  1  
  100
 PD 
where BD=Bulk density and PD=Particle density
The particle density can be calculated/approximated from the following formula:
PD( g / cm 3 ) 
1,30  2,65  2,80
(2,65  2,80  (% OM / 100))  (1,30  2,80  (% silicates / 100))  (1,30  2,65  % CaCO3 / 100))
The particle density of silicates is considered to be 2,65 g/cm3
The particle density of Organic matter (OM) is considered to be 1,3 g/cm3
The particle density of CaCO3 is considered to be 2,80 g/cm3
Soils with a low content of organic matter (0-5%) would therefore presumeably have particle
densities between 2,5 -2,8 g/cm3.
Result: All the calculated values for porosity were within 3% of the given values for porosity.
5
The following chart shows the relation between particle density (measured from the excisting data
of porosity and bulk density) and % organic matter. Note: The values for particle density should be
around 2,5-2,8 g/cm3 if the content of organic matter is around 0% and decreasing to around 1,3
g/cm3 with increasing content of organic matter.
PD from excisting data
3,00
2,50
g/cm3
2,00
1,50
1,00
0,50
0,00
0,0
20,0
40,0
60,0
80,0
100,0
% organic matter
Conclusion: The data seem very reliable:
STRUCT (structure): ok
TEXT_2, TEXT_20, TEXT_50, TEXT_200 & TEXT_2000:
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
The combined values of the five texture fields should add up to 100%.
For the horizons that do not total 100% the values are corrected as a weighted average.
Example for profile profile DK2 horizon 3 (A).
TEXT_2
2
TEXT_20
7
TEXT_50
17
TEXT_200
20
6
TEXT_2000
49
sum
95
Correction:
TEXT_2
(2/95)*100
2
TEXT_20
(7/95)*100
7
TEXT_50
(17/95)*100
18
TEXT_200
(20/95)*100
21
TEXT_2000
(49/95)*100
52
Result: Altogether 30 horizons had to be corrected.
Dominant surface textural class: All correct
WC_1, WC_10, WC_100, WC_1500, WC_FC:
Data for water retention:
Origin of data: From a single representative profile and expert judgement
The quality of the data was controlled through the following criteria:
1) The value of porosity (POR) should be higher than WC_1:
2) The value of WC_FC should not be higher than WC_1
3) The volume percentage of water should decrease with increasing tension.
All data fulfil 1), 2) and 3).
Conclusion: The data for water retention seem very reliable
7
sum
100