Land-surface segmentation as a method to create strata for spatial sampling and its potential for digital soil mapping

Sampling efforts are constrained by limited availability of resources. Therefore, methods to reduce the number of samples, while still achieving reasonable accuracy are needed. Land-surface segmentation (LSS) has proven a powerful technique to partition digital elevation models (DEMs) and their derivatives into relatively homogeneous areas, which can be further employed as support in soil sampling. Though topography is one of the main soil forming factors, a robust assessment of the potential of this technique to digital soil mapping (DSM) is still missing. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the potential of LSS in stratifying a landscape into relatively homogeneous areas, which can be used as strata for guiding the selection of sampling points in DSM. The experiments were carried out in two study areas where soil samples were available. Land-surface derivatives were derived from DEMs and segmented with a tool based on the multiresolution segmentation algorithm, into objects considered as homogeneous soil-landscape divisions. Thus, one sample was randomly selected within each segment from the existing sample data, based on which predictions of soil classes/sub-orders and properties, i.e. soil texture and A-horizon thickness, were made. Results were compared with predictions based on simple random sampling (SRS) and conditioned Latin hypercube (cLHS). The segmentation-based sampling (SBS) scheme performed better than SRS and cLHS schemes in predicting the A-horizon thickness, soil texture fractions and soil classes, showing a high potential of LSS in stratifying a landscape for the purposes of DSM. The novelty of this study is in the way strata are constructed, rather than in the sampling design itself. Further research is needed to demonstrate the value of a SBS design for practical use. The analyses presented here further highlight the importance of considering locally adaptive techniques in optimization of sampling schemes and predictions of soil properties.     

Modeling and Fitting of Three-Dimensional Mineral Microstructures by Multinary Random Fields

Mathematical Geosciences - Modeling a mineral microstructure accurately in three dimensions can render realistic mineralogical patterns which can be used for three-dimensional processing...     

Sea level induced variations in clay mineral composition in the southwestern South China Sea over the past 17,000 yr

Variations in clay mineral composition of sediment cores from the margin and continental slope of the Sunda Shelf (southern South China Sea, SE Asia) covering the past 17,000 yr reflect changing influences of sediment sources together with clay mineral partitioning processes in shallow waters. We identify the deglacial sea level rise as the principal factor driving these changes. During the late glacial, high values of kaolinite are interpreted to reflect a higher contribution of clays from soils that have formed on the exposed Sunda Shelf and in the southern archipelagos of Indonesia. At this time core sites were located in close proximity to the mouths of the Sunda Shelf palaeo-drainage systems on the emerged shelf (“Sundaland”). The progressive landward displacement of the coastline and breakdown of these vast drainage systems during deglaciation led to a decrease in influence of the kaolinite-rich southern sources. When the coastline had retreated closely to its present-day position in mid-Holocene times, the former dominance of southern sources was replaced by a stronger influence of illite-rich sources (e.g. Borneo). The overriding control of sea level changes on the clay mineral distribution patterns precludes a definite climatic interpretation of clay mineral data in terms of climatic/monsoonal changes in such highly dynamic sedimentary environment.     

Swedish coastal fisheries—From conflict mitigation to participatory management

Several research projects have studied Swedish coastal fishery to investigate the conflict between seals and fishery. In recent years, a strategy of participation by means of co-management has been unfolding. Realising that maintaining the coastal fishery requires societal support and knowledge integration, attempts have been made to introduce the principle of participatory management into the centralised Swedish fisheries management system. However, this co-management approach, presently implemented in six pilot projects, will take a long time to develop through a sustained process of experimentation and improvement.     

A Modified Form of Mild-Slope Equation with Weakly Nonlinear Effect

Nonlinear effect is of importance to waves propagating from deep water to shallow water.Thenon-linearity of waves is widely discussed due to its high precision in application.But there are still someproblems in dealing with the nonlinear waves in practice.In this paper,a modified form of mild-slope equa-tion with weakly nonlinear effect is derived by use of the nonlinear dispersion relation and the steady mild-slope equation containing energy dissipation.The modified form of mild-slope equation is convenient to solvenonlinear effect of waves.The model is tested against the laboratory measurement for the case of a submergedelliptical shoal on a slope beach given by Berkhoff et al,The present numerical results are also comparedwith those obtained through linear wave theory.Better agreement is obtained as the modified mild-slope e-quation is employed.And the modified mild-slope equation can reasonably simulate the weakly nonlinear ef-fect of wave propagation from deep water to coast.     

DARCY'S COEFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY AS SYMMETRIC TENSOR OF SECOND RANK

Synopsis

The dynamic equation of motion that governs the laminar flow of water through soils is the empirical equation of Darcy. According to Darcy's equation the velocity of the flowing water is proportional to the hydraulic gradient under which the water is flowing, with the constant of proportionality being the coefficient of permeability. The interesting question arising is whether or not the coefficient of permeability is a scalar quantity (having only a magnitude) or a vector (having both magnitude and direction). It is proved, in the present paper, that the permeability coefficient is neither a scalar nor a vector but a symmetric tensor of second rank. The fact that the permeability tensor is symmetric gives rise to great simplifications and permits a simple graphical construction of the tensor ellipsoid. Having the tensor ellipsoid, the determination of the direction at which the water will flow under a known imposed hydraulic gradient can be found graphically. In case of isotropic soils (the permeability coefficient has the same value along any direction) the ellipsoid reduces to a sphere and the tensor becomes a scalar. In the general case of anisotropic soils the permeability tensor is an entity with nine elements, six of which are independent representing pure extension or contraction along the three principal coordinate axes, thus transforming the permeability sphere into an ellipsoid and vice versa. It should be noted that in anisotropic soils the only directions along which the flow takes place in the direction of the hydraulic gradient are those of the principal axes of the tensor ellipsoid.

Permeability tests were conducted on anisotropic sandstone samples taken at different directions with respect to rectangular coordinates. The permeability coefficient values plotted on a two-dimensional polar coordinate graph paper give rise to an ellipse substantiating therefore the tensor concept of the permeability coefficient. The graphical construction of the tensor ellipse and the use of it in order to obtain the direction of flow by knowing the direction of the hydraulic gradient is also shown.