The lower the bulk density the less compacted the soil is and the more air space there is in the soil. Soil bulk density is a measure of how compacted the soil is and specifically refers to the weight dry soil divided by its volume. You can sample soil horizons by digging a soil pit or by collecting soil cores. But in an earthworm invaded forest, the O horizon is often missing and the A horizon is very thick. ( Read more about soil horizons) For example, in earthworm-free forests, there is often a thick O horizon while the A horizon may be absent or very thin. The presence or absence, thickness and depth of different soil horizons can tell you a great deal about what soil forming processes are happening or not happening. Several physical soil characteristics that you can readily measure can potentially tell you a great deal about the soils you are working with, including: However, even a basic introduction to some of these important soil characteristic and how they can be measured will provide you with a much greater appreciation and understanding of ecosystems and ecosystem processes. ![]() ![]() ![]() A full understanding of the intricacies of measuring and studying soil characteristics and processes can take years to learn. Soil characteristics (type, structure, chemistry, etc.) can have large effects on the distribution of and nature of the populations a given communities supports.
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