BGS with a
suite of partners including CEH, BAS and universities ran Tellus south-west in
2013. This was the first such survey which involved the traditional
Tellus geophysical suite of acquisition and also high resolution lidar
and also multispectral analysis. These were complemented by the G-BASE programme of systematic sampling and
the determination of chemical elements in samples of stream sediment, stream
water and soil in the region.
The Tellus approach is state of the art
in terms of provision of baseline information and underpins the BGS core role
in survey which is to
provide a marker of the current state of the environment for the measurement
and monitoring of future change.
In particular the G-BASE data allows us
to assess the
condition and health of soils and sediments for agricultural and ecosystem
functions and
quantify human
impact on the environment, indicating elevated concentrations of potential
harmful elements. Furthermore it permits the identification of new opportunities for
the responsible use of natural resources.
I am pleased to announce the publication
of the G-BASE data set for the south-west that will complement Tellus. Our staff
have collected and analysed data from 3779 stream sediment, and 1154 soil samples in Cornwall and parts of Devon and
Somerset. Analytical
data are available for Ag, Al, As, Ba, Bi, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu,
Fe, Ga, Ge, Hf, I, In, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Sc,
Se, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn, and Zr and are part
of another world class data set from the BGS.
