LUCAS Topsoil data for the Western Balkans

The LUCAS Topsoil dataset for the Western Balkans (LUCAS WB 2015) presents the laboratory analysis of the samples taken in the 2015 survey for five countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). Data from the LUCAS WB 2015 campaign contains soil properties data (clay, silt and sand content, coarse fragments, pH (CaCl2 and H2O), organic carbon content, carbonates, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, extractable potassium, electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity. These primary data are supplemented by reference ancillary data describing a range of environmental conditions for the LUCAS Soil locations. The dataset has 955 unique records with soil and agro-environmental data.
Resource Type: 
Datasets
Soil Point Data
Registration is requested: 
Yes
Year: 
2026
Themes: 
Soil Sampling
Projects: 
LUCAS

This page is an entry point to the principal LUCAS 2015 TOPSOIL for the Western Balkans (LUCAS WB 2015) data products. In order to access the data, please register using the Request Form tab.

  • Topsoil data from 2015 for the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) are available as CSV files. To facilitate use of the data, .XLSX and ESRI shapefile formats are also available; you may preview the readme file.
  • A report presenting the LUCAS WB 2015 dataset.
  • Scientific publication describing the LUCAS topsoil database for the Western Balkans, presenting its relevance for soil research, evidence-based policy and sustainable soil management. The supplementary information (SI) provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics of soil properties in various climate zones, land cover types, and countries.

  • Reference ancillary data describing a range of environmental conditions for the LUCAS Soil locations together with a supporting report.

Study area: Five Western Balkans countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia)

Format: CSV file; To facilitate use of the data, .XLXS and ESRI shapefile formats are also available.

Point data: 955

Measured properties: clay, silt and sand content, coarse fragments, pH (CaCl2 and H2O), organic carbon content, carbonates, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, extractable potassium, electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity

Reference Year: 2015.

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By sending these data, you declare that you have read & accept the notification below and that your personal data will be handled by the JRC only for statistical purposes (conform to privacy statement).

For any problem / question / comment on this dataset, please contact ec-esdac@ec.europa.eu

Notification:

  • The data provided has been prepared for use by internal research activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC).
  • The data are the result of JRC research activities and are primarily made available for further research. The JRC does not accept any liability whatsoever for any error, missing data or omission in the data, or for any loss or damage arising from its use. The JRC agrees to provide the data free of charge but is not bound to justify the content and values contained in the databases.
  • The permission to use the data specified above is granted on condition that, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are these data passed to third parties. They can be used for any purpose, including commercial gain.
  • The user agrees to:
       a) Make proper reference to the source of the data when disseminating the results to which this agreement relates;
       b) Participate in the verification of the data (e.g. by noting and reporting any errors or omissions discovered to the JRC).

 

Reference of source (Citations) :

The documentation associated with the data is available from the following two reports:

  • report describing the 2015 dataset for the Western Balkans:

Arias-Navarro, C., Vidojević, D., Zdruli, P., Islamaj, B., Scarpa, S. et al., LUCAS Topsoil Survey for the Western Balkans - Presentation of the dataset and results, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2026, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/9105095, JRC142550.

  • report presenting reference ancillary data:

Arias-Navarro, C., Vidojević, D., Zdruli, P., Yunta Mezquita, F., Jones, A. and Wojda, P., LUCAS Soil 2015 in the Western Balkans: Overview and analysis of ancillary data, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/071913, JRC138305

  • report describing the 2015 dataset for the EU:

Jones, A, Fernandez-Ugalde, O., Scarpa, S. LUCAS 2015 Topsoil Survey. Presentation of dataset and results, EUR 30332 EN, Publications Office of the European Union: Luxembourg. 2020, ISBN 978-92-76-21080-1, doi:10.2760/616084, JRC121325

  • Scientific publication describing the LUCAS topsoil database for the Western Balkans, presenting its relevance for soil research, evidence-based policy and sustainable soil management. The supplementary information (SI) provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics of soil properties in various climate zones, land cover types, and countries:

Arias-Navarro, C., Vidojevic, D., Zdruli, P., Islamaj, B., Scarpa, S., Yunta-Mezquita, F., Wojda, P. & Jones, A. 2026. Assessing Soil Resources in the Western Balkans: Insights From the LUCAS Soil Survey. European Journal of Soil Science, 77, 1–20 https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70379

Orgiazzi, A., Ballabio, C., Panagos, P., Jones, A., Fernández-Ugalde, O. 2018. LUCAS Soil, the largest expandable soil dataset for Europe: A review. European Journal of Soil Science, 69(1): 140-153. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12499

 

When making reference to the ESDAC

  • Panagos, P., Van Liedekerke, M., Borrelli, P., Köninger, J., Ballabio, C., Orgiazzi, A., Lugato, E., Liakos, L., Hervas, J., Jones, A.  Montanarella, L. 2022. European Soil Data Centre 2.0: Soil data and knowledge in support of the EU policies. European Journal of Soil Science, 73(6), e13315. DOI: 10.1111/ejss.13315
  • Panagos P., Van Liedekerke M., Jones A., Montanarella L., “European Soil Data Centre: Response to European policy support and public data requirements”; (2012) Land Use Policy, 29 (2), pp. 329-338. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.07.003
  • European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC), esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu, European Commission, Joint Research Centre