EVALUATING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SOIL PROPERTIES BY COMPUTER ANALYSIS

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Abstract
Data for 16 measured and seven calculated properties of 461 samples from 115 soils occurring in various parts of Canada were coded, and a correlation analysis was run on the data for various groups of samples. In general, correlations of color value and organic matter were moderately high (|r| > 0.5) and significant, but for 21 Podzol Ae horizons the correlation was very low (r = −0.13) and not significant. Chroma and dithionite Fe were significantly correlated for several groups of samples but not for Podzolic B (spodic) horizons or Bm horizons. Linear regression equations expressing cation exchange capacity and pH-dependent charge as functions of organic matter and other variables fitted the data reasonably well. The danger of generalizing from presumed relationships among soil properties was indicated but, for some groups of samples, useful relationships existed between visible soil properties and properties measured in the laboratory.