Soil geochemical atlas of the Clyde Basin

Soil quality is of interest because soil forms the foundation for building and infrastructure in both rural and urban environments, it is a fundamental resource for agriculture, energy production and climate change mitigation. Soil supports key ecosystems and biodiversity and mediates the flow and pollution of water resources. This volume presents an assessment of the chemical quality of soil across the River Clyde Basin in the West of Scotland, including Scotland’s main conurbation of Glasgow.The work presented here is the result of a project carried out in two phases over 10 years to determine the geochemistry of soil across the region. It was undertaken as part of the Clyde and Glasgow Urban Super Project (CUSP); a multi-disciplinary collaborative programme between the British Geological Survey (BGS) and Local Authorities to characterise the geo-environment of the Clyde Basin. This volume compares the concentrations of chemical elements found in soil from the urban area of Glasgow with those from its rural hinterland. This enables an assessment of the anthropogenic pollution imprint on the environment. It also provides information on the essential nutrients in soil necessary for agricultural production. This fundamental background information is vital to aid land and resource management, and satisfy the legislatively driven demands for an improved and sustainable environment, where people can live and work with a better quality of life.