Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS)

The Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) is an extensive and regular topsoil survey that is carried out across the European Union to derive policy‐relevant statistics on the effect of land management on soil characteristics. Approximately 45 000 soil samples have been collected from two time‐periods, 2009–2012 and 2015. By repeating the survey every few years, changes to land use can be identified. LUCAS Soil represents the largest harmonized open-access dataset of topsoil properties available for the European Union at the global scale. It was developed as an expandable resource, with the possibility to add new properties and sampling locations during successive sampling campaigns.

At a sampling point the standard procedure consists of field observations and taking a soil sample. The  field measurements include visual observation of soil erosion and measuring the thickness of the organic layer in carbon-rich soils. The soil sampling includes a disturbed and undisturbed sample. The undisturbed soil sample is weighted in the field and sent to the laboratory for calculating bulk density and soil moisture. The disturbed soil sample is split in two parts, part of which is air-dried for analysis of standard physical and chemical properties, and the other part cool-transported to the molecular biology laboratory for analysis of soil biodiversity. All samples have been analysed for the percentage of coarse fragments, particle size distribution (% clay,silt and sand content), pH (in CaCl2 and H2O), organic carbon (g/kg), carbonate content (g/kg), phosphorous content (mg/kg), total nitrogen content (g/kg), extractable potassium content (mg/kg) , cation exchange capacity (cmol(+)/kg) and multispectral properties.

All results are recorded in the LUCAS database and further processed into derived products, such as soil property maps. The LUCAS 2009 topsoil database is available for download since September 2013 at the relevant ESDAC web site.. This database has extensively used for modelling purposes and the development or validation of several Europe-wide datasets: Current and future soil organic carbon stocks, Topsoil physical, chemical and multispectral reflectance data, Soil erosion by water, Soil erodibility (K-factor), Threats to soil biodiversity , wind erosion modelling, and N2O emissions.

The LUCAS procedure is scheduled to be expanded to Africa.