Spatial variability in spoil sampling

• Published in: Landscape and urban planning 1989, Vol.17 (2), p.121-126
• Main Authors: Eastment, H.T., Russell, M.J., Toleman, M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biometrics, statistics, experimental designs, modeling, agricultural computer applications; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities. Biometrics, experimentation. Remote sensing; Methods and techniques; Soil erosion, conservation, land management and development; Soil science
• ISSN: 0169-2046; 1872-6062
• DOI: 10.1016/0169-2046(89)90020-0

The determination of a satisfactory density of surface sampling of spatially-heterogenous coalmine spoil heaps was investigated. Radial sampling patterns in which samples were taken at geometrically-increasing distances on radii from a randomly-selected central point were used at three mine sites. At a fourth site, data taken from plots prior to an agronomic experiment was utilized. These four sets of data were analysed to identify whether two attributes, pH and electrical conductivity, were distributed in a spatially-random fashion. The analyses used were spatial autocorrelation analysis, and a classification (cluster analysis) based on standardized Euclidean distance. The analyses indicated that there was some non-randomness in the distribution of both variables. This patchiness was implied by the autocorrelation and variance analyses and illustrated by the classification procedure. Recommendations, based on these results, are made for procedures to be followed when sampling spoil surfaces for revegetation. These procedures are based on the minimum areas which, at any time, are economic to revegetate separately, and will make the most economic use of resources in selecting a spatial sampling density.