DPTIMAL INTERPOLATION AND ISARITHMIC MAPPING OF SOIL PROPERTIES. IV SAMPLING STRATEGY

A sampling strategy is presented for soil survey in which an individual soil property is of interest and can be measured. It depends on first determining accurately the semi-variogram for the property, and this must be done in a prior reconnaissance stage of a survey. Then from the semi-variogram estimation variances can be found for any combination of block size and sampling density by the methods of kriging. Alternatively for a given block size the sampling density needed to achieve a predetermined precision (maximum estimation variance) can be determined. The strategy is optimal in the sense that the sampling effort is the least possible to achieve the precision desired. An equilateral triangular configuration of sampling points is best where variation is isotropic, but a square grid at the same density is very nearly as good, and will usually be preferred for convenience. Where there is simple anisotropic variation optimal sampling is achieved by choosing a rectangular grid with sides in the same proportion to one another as the slopes of the semi-variogram in the directions of maximum and minimum variation.