Switch tabs to look at different variables
Map usage: Drag and scroll on the map to move and zoom in on areas of interest, hover on the site circles to see more information, hover over each outlined area to see Whaitua (main river catchments), use the selection box on the top left of the map ( ) to subset table data to that area.
Table usage: Click on sites in the table to highlight them on the map, and click on headers or the arrows next to them to sort the data by that column – holding the shift key allows sorting over multiple columns.
Total carbon is an estimate of the amount of organic matter. Organic matter helps soils retain moisture and nutrients, and gives good soil structure for water movement and root growth. It can be used to address the issue of organic matter depletion and carbon loss from the soil. The target range is ‘Depleted’ to ‘Ample’, see benchmarking for more information.
Most nitrogen in soil is present within the organic matter fraction, and total nitrogen gives a measure of those reserves. It also provides an indication for the potential of nitrogen to leach into underlying groundwater. The target range is ‘Depleted’ to ‘Ample’, see benchmarking for more information.
Not all nitrogen can be used by plants; soil organisms change nitrogen to forms that plants can use. Mineralisable N gives a measure of how much organic nitrogen is available to plants, and the potential for nitrogen leaching at times of low plant demand. Mineralisable nitrogen is also used as a surrogate measure of the microbial biomass. The target range is ‘Low’ to ‘High’, see benchmarking for more information.
Most plants have an optimal pH range for growth. The pH of a soil influences the availability of many nutrients to plants and the solubility of some trace elements. Soil pH is influenced by the application of lime and some fertilisers. The target range is ‘Slightly-acidic’ to ‘Optimal’, see benchmarking for more information.
Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for plants and animals. Olsen P is a measure of the amount of phosphorus that is available to plants. Levels of P greater than agronomic requirements can increase P losses to waterways, and therefore contribute to eutrophication (nutrient enrichment). The target ranges for pastural sites vary, see benchmarking for more information.
Some trace elements are essential micro-nutrients for plants and animals. Both essential and non-essential trace elements can become toxic at high concentrations. Trace elements can accumulate in the soil from various common agricultural and horticultural land use practices.
Results are compared against draft eco-soil guideline values (Eco-SGVs), see benchmarking for more information.
Results are compared against draft eco-soil guideline values (Eco-SGVs) on the map and trigger values from the tiered fertiliser management system (TFMS) also in the table, see benchmarking for more information.