Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Database

Moreover, the associated increase in the soil organic matter would also have significant positive feedbacks to the health and long-term sustainability of our agricultural land by enhancing the soil fertility, improving soil structure, and aiding in water holding capacity. In order to gain a better understanding of the impacts of varied land management on soil carbon and nitrogen storage in southern Wisconsin, scientists at SAGE have initiated a long-term campaign of soil sampling and monitoring.

In 1999, we began collecting soil carbon, nitrogen, bulk density and other assorted data on land-use history for agricultural land across southcentral Wisconsin. Since the initiation of this campaign, we have sampled over 125 sites that include traditional cropping systems, land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), restored and remnant prairie ecosystems, and pastures. The majority of these sites are located in Sauk, Columbia, Dane, and Jefferson counties.

The following searchable database allows for access to these data. This research has been supported by S.C. Johnson and Sons Inc., Madison Gas and Electric Corp (MGE), and The Barker Fund through the UW-Madison Foundation and College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.