Soil and agriculture
BGS Climate Change Products
Soil health is fundamental to the productivity and sustainability of agricultural practices. As such, considerations of potential climate change-related impacts that may cause a shift in the UK’s growing regions whilst affecting common practices are of great importance. Characteristics such as soil chemistry, erosion, saturation and regeneration could all be affected by climate change.
Water availability is of similar concern, particularly with crop production being concentrated in the south and east of the country and hotter, drier growing seasons forecast as a result of climate change. Furthermore, predicted sea-level rise and the saline contamination of groundwater resources are also threats to coastal agricultural land.
Relevant BGS data products
UK: Stream sediment geochemistry
The UK stream sediment geochemistry maps present data compiled from the G-BASE and TellusNI geochemical projects.
GeoCoast Premium
GeoCoast is an integrated GIS package of datasets designed to inform and support coastal management and adaptation.
Groundwater vulnerability data
Our groundwater vulnerability maps provide an assessment of the vulnerability of groundwater in overlying superficial rocks and those that comprise the underlying bedrock.
Hydrogeological maps of Scotland
The BGS has produced a suite of hydrogeological maps of Scotland. The suite includes layers with groundwater vulnerability and aquifer productivity data.
Soil chemistry for environmental assessments
This dataset contains estimated ambient background concentrations of potentially harmful elements for rural and selected urban topsoils.
Soil Parent Material Model
The Soil Parent Material Model details the distribution of properties of the weathered and unweathered soil parent materials of Great Britain.
Get in touch
We would love to hear from you! For more information or to send us your feedback about our digital data products, please email the digital data team.
Climate challenges and BGS support by sector
Extractive industries
Aimed at stakeholders involved in quarrying, mining and excavation of natural resources.
Insurance lenders
Targeted at stakeholders concerned with the changing financial risks to property and asset portfolios as a result of geohazard activity.
Planning and construction
Encompassing all stakeholders involved in the development and maintenance of the built environment, from planning applications to construction projects.
Soil and agriculture
For stakeholders with an interest in soil composition, health and productivity.
Water management
Aimed at stakeholders concerned with future changes to the quality and quantity of freshwater resources.