USDA, U. of Illinois Resample 165-Year-Old Perry County Site

Resampling in Perry County

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Illinois have resampled a soil site in Perry County that is 165 years old. The work brings researchers back to a site with a long history of soil study.

Why the site matters

A soil site preserved across 165 years can give researchers a way to compare samples collected at different points in time. The new sampling continues that record at the Perry County location.

The USDA and the University of Illinois are the institutions involved in the resampling. The site’s age makes the project a connection between historic soil research and current university and federal work.

What comes next

The resampling creates a new sample for study. Results from the work, including any comparisons with earlier samples, will help show what researchers learn from the site’s long record.

The project is an Around Town development for Perry County because it involves a local site and two institutions working on soil research. Further attention will center on the findings from the new sample and how researchers use the site’s historical record.