Fieldwork Ready. Sara E. Vero

packed to a specified bulk density in the chambers. First, consider that field soil is not equivalent to dry soil as it contains both solid mineral particles and pore water (typically up to 25% or 30%, depending on soil type and recent weather). Therefore, much of the sample you collect in the field will actually be water, which is of no use to you. Second, you do not need the large particles, roots, rocks, and pebbles, which will be sieved out. The proportion of your sample which will be made up of this surplus depends entirely on your soil types, but suffice to say, you will need to collect far more soil than the <10 kg dry weight equivalent that will actually fill your chambers. You will need a suitable vehicle for accessing the fields, sampling tools and containers, manpower, time, and all safety equipment, PPE, and other gear which you need when going to the field. Of course, this is just one example. You might be collecting vegetation samples for cultivation in a glasshouse, trapping wild animals for tagging and release; it all depends on your unique research. However, the same basic principles of fieldwork should be adhered to throughout sampling, even though the actual experiment will be conducted back at the laboratory. In summary, you should be equally prepared for the logistical challenges even if you are not running field trials or setting up observatories.

References

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      8 Peterson, R.G. (1994). Agricultural Field Experiments: Design and Analysis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

      9 Shannon, D.K., Clay, D.E. and Kitchen, N.R. (eds). (2018). Precision Agriculture Basics. Madison, WI: ASA, CSSA, SSSA. doi:https://doi.org/10.2134/precisionagbasics