Field Analysis:How Landscape

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Background information
It can be useful to record local soil and parent material types as mapped locally. This information gives a general indication of the soil conditions that might be expected, for example if the soils locally are calcic evidence of calcium carbonate deposition in the site deposits may also be expected.

Information about the local parent materials can also be useful. For example if they are mapped locally as sands and gravels we can predict that the soils will also be free draining and prone to be acid through leaching. Information about parent material may be obtained from local soil and / or geology maps.

N.b. Because of the size of the sampling grid, soil and geology maps can be very inaccurate when trying to predict soil or parent material type at any specific location. Instead they give a general indication of what might be expected in the area.

Landscape information
For each site, section or set of deposits as appropriate general background information should be recorded. This includes:
 * Drainage class
 * Landscape position
 * Slope and aspect
 * Microtopography - small scale surface features such as hummocks and hollows.
 * Local soil/geology/natural type
 * Evidence of disturbance e.g. rabbits, gophers, earthworms, tree roots, earth movement
 * Vegetation and land use
 * Depth of deposit

Drainage class
Other indicators of drainage status can be the local vegetation a poorly drained soil may support sedges and rushes for example. Also look for iron mottling and blue/grey soil colours which can indicate poor drainage and periodic waterlogging.

Landscape position
Record the general landscape position of the site, for example Cave, Inter-tidal, Flood plain etc.

Slope
Record the slope angle either generally of the site, or locally with regards to a particular section or deposit.
 * Level - less than 5o
 * Moderate - 5o-10o
 * Steep - 11o-35o
 * Precipitous - more than 35o

Microtopography
Record the microtopography (small scale landscape features) in the immediate vicinity of a particular section or deposit. For example:
 * Flat
 * Slope
 * Straight
 * Convex
 * Concave
 * Hummock or mound
 * Basin or hollow

Disturbance
Record any evidence of disturbance. Whether from:
 * Plant roots.
 * Animals such as badgers, rabbits, termites, ants, earthworms etc.
 * Slope movements (mass movements)
 * Human activity
 * Wetting and drying or freeze-thaw.

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