Soil health

Accurately measuring and monitoring soil characteristics requires research-grade instruments built for the task. METER scientists develop sensors and data collection tools with our users' projects in mind: easy-to-install devices and automation reduce human error, ruggedized design ensures reliability over months or years of operation, and remote data loggers streamline data collection and analysis.

See all products

Lab soil characterization

LABROS is an innovative collection of soil science laboratory instruments, each designed to work individually or as part of a larger, automated system. Conduct automated particle size analysis and measure soil moisture release curves, saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, and thermal conductivity from a single sample.

Soil particle size analysis

Hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soil samples

Soil moisture release curves for soil samples

Hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil samples

Streamline your soil characterization methods by using the LABROS suite of laboratory instruments and software to perform accurate, automated analyses from a single soil sample
Measure both saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity from a single soil sample using HYPROP and KSAT laboratory instruments
Get a complete soil moisture release curve using HYPROP and WP4C lab instruments and LABROS software

Field hydraulic properties

Measure the movement and distribution of water in the soil to inform water management, predict soil behavior under a variety of moisture conditions, measure groundwater recharge, or optimize agricultural practices for efficient water usage. Field instruments like the SATURO set the standard for simple, accurate, and time-efficient data collection.

Field saturated hydraulic conductivity

Field unsaturated hydraulic conductivity

Field moisture release curve

Water potential

Z See how ZENTRA Cloud can simplify data management 
Get accurate, in situ hydraulic conductivity measurements with less water and simpler processes using SATURO and the Mini Disk Infiltrometer

Deep drainage and leaching

Study groundwater recharge, nutrient or contaminant leaching, and the influence of land management practices on water retention and drainage across a larger area with affordable, easy to use instruments.

Drainage, water depth, and electrical conductivity

Water depth and electrical conductivity

Water content and electrical conductivity

Z See how ZENTRA Cloud can simplify data management 
Accurately measure deep drainage and leaching using a METER Drain Gauge Lysimeter, or add an ATMOS 41 All In One Weather Station and TEROS water content sensors to quantify the water balance at your measurement site

Soil moisture

Plant growth, microbial activity, nutrient availability and transport, soil erosion, soil compaction, soil respiration, water infiltration and drainage are all dependent on soil moisture. Measure the amount of water and its availability with our water content and water potential sensors.

Volumetric water content

Water potential

Z See how ZENTRA Cloud can simplify data management 
Measure the soil moisture profile at multiple depths using a single TEROS profile probe or multiple TEROS water content sensors, all connected to a cloud enabled data logger
Measure both water content and availability at a single site by installing TEROS water content sensors and TEROS water potential sensors at multiple depths

Microclimate

Measuring the microclimate with a weather station provides comprehensive data on local atmospheric conditions that directly affect soil processes. Weather stations collect detailed information on temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed, and solar radiation, all of which influence soil moisture levels, evaporation rates, and soil temperature.

Solar radiation, precipitation, air temperature, barometric pressure, vapor pressure, relative humidity, wind speed/direction/gust, lightning strike and distance

Z See how ZENTRA Cloud can simplify data management 

Soil oxygen

Measure gaseous oxygen in the laboratory, soil, or porous media. Soil oxygen is a key driver of many chemical and biological processes. Monitor O₂ levels in compost piles and mine tailings, or the redox potential in soils. Determine respiration rates by measuring O₂ consumption in sealed chambers, or by assessing O₂ gradients in soil or porous media.

Gaseous O2

Z See how ZENTRA Cloud can simplify data management 
Monitor soil oxygen and soil moisture using sensors connected to a single cloud enabled data logger

Surface and ground water level monitoring

Track groundwater recharge, water flows through canals or channels, or solute concentration using all-in-one sensors. Combining these sensors with a remote data logger allows you monitor water quality and levels across a wide area without frequent site visits.

Surface and ground water level monitoring

Software model for ground water depth

Z See how ZENTRA Cloud can simplify data management 
Measure surface and ground water properties and levels using HYDROS 21 and the ZL6 Data Logger.

ZL6 Data Logger next to a tablet and several screenshots. the tablet and screenshots show data visualizations from ZENTRA Cloud software

ZENTRA System

Customize your data collection and logging solution by combining multiple METER sensors with the ZL6 Data Logger and ZENTRA Cloud. ZENTRA stores your data in the cloud, allowing easy access to your data and near-real-time reports from all of your data loggers.

Avoid costly field visits by accessing your data from any web-connected device. Analyze it with ZENTRA Cloud’s built-in visualization tools, and easily share insights without tracking down log files on individual computers.

Learn more about ZENTRA

LABROS System

Streamline your laboratory analyses and reduce human error using the innovative LABROS soil science laboratory collection. Perform automated particle size analysis, generate soil moisture release curves, or measure thermal and hydraulic conductivity with METER laboratory instruments designed to produce accurate analyses in a fraction of the time of other methods.

Even better, LABROS instruments can be combined to perform all of these analyses from a single sample, saving time and reducing measurement errors due to variations in sample characteristics.

See LABROS products

LABROS-capable laboratory instruments from METER, including WP4C, KSAT, VARIOS, and PARIO

“In terms of soil health, we’re looking for systems that producers manage…and subsequently utilizing METER Group equipment, to take a look at the changes in moisture holding capacity over time.”

 – Dr. Jim Ippolito, professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources | Ohio State University

Hear the podcast

Case Studies

See how scientists, growers, and engineers have used METER solutions in the field.
Podcasts
56 minutes

Episode 35: The human burden on urban soils

Ecosystem services—the physical processes performed by soils within an ecosystem—are well-known in agricultural settings, but how do we define and measure them in urban settings?

LISTEN
Case Studies
5-minute read

Are biodegradable mulches actually better for the environment?

Researchers investigate whether biodegradable mulches leach fewer contaminants into groundwater and lead to better soil health.

LISTEN
Podcasts
50 minutes

Episode 14: Why we live or die by soil health

Dr. Cristine Morgan, one of the US’s premier soil scientists and Chief Scientific Officer at the Soil Health Institute shares her views on why soil health is so critical to our society.

LISTEN

A photo of a METER publication in book form open on a flat surface

Case studies, webinars, and articles you’ll love

Receive the latest content on a regular basis.

icon-angle icon-bars icon-times