The Variability of Forest Soils of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains

Data collected from 123 forested plots in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Georgia were used to (i) evaluate sample stratification criteria, (ii) estimate the variability of physical and chemical properties of the soil, and (iii) examine the efficiency of sampling schemes. Sample stratification seemed justified on the basis of soil series, but not on the basis of soil type. For similar soils, maximum efficiency in estimating means of soil series is obtained with one or two pits per plot. The number of plots (pedons) required for adequate precision is greater than the number customarily sampled for soil series characterization studies. Sampling to estimate plot mean values in soil‐site studies involves consideration of the variances of several properties to be estimated from one soil sample. The use of two to four pits (profiles) per plot in similar soils would seem to be adequate for most but not all commonly measured soil properties.