Bulk density, one-third bar, is the oven-dry weight of soil particles less than 2 mm in size, measured at a water tension of -0.33 bar (field capacity), and expressed in g/cm³. It is influenced by texture, clay type, organic matter content, and soil structure. This measure reflects how tightly soil particles are packed and directly relates to porosity and water movement.
Applied Relevance
Bulk density is used to estimate other key soil properties like shrink-swell potential, total pore space, and available water capacity. Values above 1.4 g/cm³ (depending on texture) can limit root growth and reduce water storage. This makes bulk density a crucial factor in assessing soil health for land management, especially in compacted or low-organic-matter soils.
Available Depths
Data layers are available for multiple soil depth intervals:
0–5 cm, 5–20 cm, 0–20 cm, 0–30 cm, 0–50 cm, 0–100 cm, 0–150 cm, and 0–200 cm.
