In Situ Destructive Sampling

When designing experiments, environmental scientists face the challenge of how to accurately represent nature. The idea of sampling patterns and strategies truly reflecting research variables is intrinsic to scientific pursuits. This is particularly true in environmental science due to the complex heterogeneity present in nature. It is vitally important in most studies for researchers to account for natural variations in soil, air, water, and vegetation that can change in space and time. Many strategies focus on the use of strategically placed transects or plot-based sampling campaigns designed to include as many aspects of a particular variable as possible within a study area. Determining how many samples must be taken, whether they are of soil, plant matter, water, etc., depends entirely on the balance of time, effort, and cost while in the field. As a rule of thumb, the more samples that can be gathered correctly, the more trustworthy eventual results will be. Unfortunately, environmental sampling can be time-consuming and expensive depending on its location or the procedures for its procurement. This is one of the reasons why the use of satellite-based remote sensing, computer modeling, and proximal sensing has gained popularity within the scientific community in recent decades. However, the heterogeneity and scale of the environment again make large spatial-scale research difficult and often require in situ validation campaigns to ensure data quality. This is one of the main advantages of the use of the CRNS, due to the significant spatial and temporal variations soil moisture can exhibit.