The study was conducted on a single 144m2 plot, where a total
of 49 soil cores (4.5cm diameter) were collected in a rectangular
grid of 7×7 samples (closest distance between samples=2m).
Preliminary experiments demonstrated the spatial independence
of samples located at the grid nodes. A homogeneous plot covered
with litter was selected for the study to exclude the effect of grass
and herbal roots. To evaluate the level of spatial variability in soil
moisture content, a small subplot (33cm×33 cm, 0.11m2) of the
study site was analyzed with samples collected in a rectangular grid
of 7×7 with a distance of 5.5cm between adjacent samples. The
amount of material depended upon the thickness of the sampled
horizons and moisture content but generally it was around