Optimal Sampling and Assay for Estimating Soil Organic Carbon

The world needs around 150 Pg of negative carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. Global soils may provide a stable, sizeable reservoir help achieve this goal by sequestering atmospheric dioxide as soil organic (SOC). In turn, SOC can support healthy and multitude ecosystem benefits. To sequestration, researchers policy makers must be able precisely measure the amount in given plot land. measurement is typically accomplished taking cores selected at random from under study, mixing (compositing) some them together, analyzing (assaying) composited samples laboratory. Compositing reduces assay costs, which substantial. Taking also costly. Given uncertainties costs both sampling along with desired estimation precision, there an optimal composite size that will minimize budget required precision. Conversely, fixed budget, minimizes uncertainty. paper, we describe formalize for derive optima three commonly used methods: dry combustion elemental analyzer, loss-on-ignition, mid-infrared spectroscopy. We demonstrate utility approach using data survey conducted California. give recommendations practice software implement our framework.