The researchers studied soil bulk density in northern Chinese grasslands. They used data from soil surveys to create a model that reconstructed soil density patterns. They found that soil density was highest in central and northwestern regions, and lowest in eastern and mountainous areas. The Tarim basin had the highest density, while the Tianshan Mountain area had the lowest. Alpine meadows had the lowest density, and temperate deserts had the highest. Their method improved accuracy in estimating soil density on a large scale, which can help assess carbon storage and map land characteristics in grasslands.