Predicting bulk density using pedotransfer functions for soils in the Upper Anthemountas basin, Greece

Special equations called Pedotransfer Functions (PTFs) have been broadly implemented as state-of-the-art indirect cost-effective and time-saving methods in predicting soil bulk density (BD). The objectives of the present study are: a) to perform a comprehensive literature review and record published PTFs that estimate BD, b) to evaluate the performance of the recorded PTFs by applying on a soil dataset, built from soil samples collected from a Mediterranean river basin in Northern Greece and c) to further assess this soil dataset in order to develop new functions via multiple forms of regression analysis. In total, 56 PTFs derived from literature were cataloged and evaluated and results display that the function best predicting BD is the one proposed by Rawls (2004). In addition, 13 new PTFs were developed and results reveal that better estimates of BD were obtained when soil texture parameters, contents (%) of Sand (Sa), Silt (Si) and Clay (Cl), were added as predictors. Ultimately, depending on the availability of soil data, two straightforward models: BD = 2.268 − 0.179 ∗ ln(Sa) - 0.345 ∗ ln(OC) or BD = 2.039 − 0.563 ∗ OC + 0.103 ∗ OC2 are proposed for predicting soil BD in the study area.