The hydrological influence of black locust plantations in the loess area of northwest China

Black locust (Robina pseudoacacia) has become one of the most important shelter species in the loess area of northwest China. This paper summarizes recent research concerning its hydrological influence, including canopy interception, litter absorption capacity, its effect on rainfall kinetic energy, infiltration rates, surface runoff, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration, and its role in soil conservation. Several predictive models are listed. on the basis of existing results, optimum characteristics for an effective plantation are defined, and problems requiring further research are identified.     

Prediction of soil properties using imaging spectroscopy: Considering fractional vegetation cover to improve accuracy

Spectroscopic techniques have become attractive to assess soil properties because they are fast, require little labor and may reduce the amount of laboratory waste produced when compared to conventional methods. Imaging spectroscopy (IS) can have further advantages compared to laboratory or field proximal spectroscopic approaches such as providing spatially continuous information with a high density. However, the accuracy of IS derived predictions decreases when the spectral mixture of soil with other targets occurs. This paper evaluates the use of spectral data obtained by an airborne hyperspectral sensor (ProSpecTIR-VS – Aisa dual sensor) for prediction of physical and chemical properties of Brazilian highly weathered soils (i.e., Oxisols). A methodology to assess the soil spectral mixture is adapted and a progressive spectral dataset selection procedure, based on bare soil fractional cover, is proposed and tested. Satisfactory performances are obtained specially for the quantification of clay, sand and CEC using airborne sensor data (R² of 0.77, 0.79 and 0.54; RPD of 2.14, 2.22 and 1.50, respectively), after spectral data selection is performed; although results obtained for laboratory data are more accurate (R² of 0.92, 0.85 and 0.75; RPD of 3.52, 2.62 and 2.04, for clay, sand and CEC, respectively). Most importantly, predictions based on airborne-derived spectra for which the bare soil fractional cover is not taken into account show considerable lower accuracy, for example for clay, sand and CEC (RPD of 1.52, 1.64 and 1.16, respectively). Therefore, hyperspectral remotely sensed data can be used to predict topsoil properties of highly weathered soils, although spectral mixture of bare soil with vegetation must be considered in order to achieve an improved prediction accuracy.     

Soil respiration mapped by exclusively use of MODIS data for forest landscapes of Saskatchewan,Canada

Soil respiration (R_s) is of great importance to the global carbon balance. Remote sensing of R_s is challenging because of (1) the lack of long-term R_s data for model development and (2) limited knowledge of using satellite-based products to estimate R_s. Using 8-years (2002–2009) of continuous R_s measurements with nonsteady-state automated chamber systems at a Canadian boreal black spruce stand (SK-OBS), we found that R_s was strongly correlated with the product of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the nighttime land surface temperature (LSTn) derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery. The coefficients of the linear regression equation of this correlation between R_s and NDVI × LSTn could be further calibrated using the MODIS leaf area index (LAI) product, resulting in an algorithm that is driven solely by remote sensing observations. Modeled R_s closely tracked the seasonal patterns of measured R_s and explained 74–92% of the variance in R_s with a root mean square error (RMSE) less than 1.0 g C/m²/d. Further validation of the model from SK-OBS site at another two independent sites (SK-OA and SK-OJP, old aspen and old jack pine, respectively) showed that the algorithm can produce good estimates of R_s with an overall R² of 0.78 (p < 0.001) for data of these two sites. Consequently, we mapped R_s of forest landscapes of Saskatchewan using entirely MODIS observations for 2003 and spatial and temporal patterns of R_s were well modeled. These results point to a strong relationship between the soil respiratory process and canopy photosynthesis as indicated from the greenness index (i.e., NDVI), thereby implying the potential of remote sensing data for detecting variations in R_s. A combination of both biological and environmental variables estimated from remote sensing in this analysis may be valuable in future investigations of spatial and temporal characteristics of R_s.     

Applications of AnnAGNPS model for soil loss estimation and nutrient loading for Malaysian conditions

The study evaluated the performance and suitability of AnnAGNPS model in assessing runoff, sediment loading and nutrient loading under Malaysian conditions. The watershed of River Kuala Tasik in Malaysia, a combination of two sub-watersheds, was selected as the area of study. The data for the year 2004 was used to calibrate the model and the data for the year 2005 was used for validation purposes. Several input parameters were computed using methods suggested by other researchers and studies carried out in Malaysia. The study shows that runoff was predicted well with an overall R² value of 0.90 and E value of 0.70. Sediment loading was able to produce a moderate result of R² = 0.66 and E = 0.49, nitrogen loading predictions were slightly better with R² = 0.68 and E = 0.53, and phosphorus loading performance was slightly poor with an R² = 0.63 and E = 0.33. The erosion map developed was in agreement with the erosion risk map produced by the Department of Agriculture, Malaysia. Rubber estates and urban areas were found to be the main contributors to soil erosion. The simulation results showed that AnnAGNPS has the potential to be used as a valuable tool for planning and management of watersheds under Malaysian conditions.     

Imaging spectroscopy in soil-water based site suitability assessment for artificial regeneration to Scots pine

In a humid northern boreal climate, the success rate of artificial regeneration to Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) can be improved by including a soil water content (SWC) based assessment of site suitability in the reforestation planning process. This paper introduces an application of airborne visible-near-infrared imaging spectroscopic data to identify suitable subregions of forest compartments for the low SWC-tolerant Scots pine. The spatial patterns of understorey plant species communities, recorded by the AISA (Airborne Imaging Spectrometer for Applications) sensor, were demonstrated to be dependant on the underlying SWC. According to the nonmetric multidimensional scaling and correlation results twelve understorey species were found to be most abundant on sites with high soil SWCs. The abundance of bare soil, rocks and abundance of more than ten species indicated low soil SWCs. The spatial patterns of understorey are attributed to time-stability of the underlying SWC patterns. A supervised artificial neural network (radial basis functional link network, probabilistic neural network) approach was taken to classify AISA imaging spectrometer data with dielectric (as a measure volumetric SWC) ground referencing into regimes suitable and unsuitable for Scots pine. The accuracy assessment with receiver operating characteristics curves demonstrated a maximum of 74.1% area under the curve values which indicated moderate success of the NN modelling. The results signified the importance of the training set’s quality, adequate quantity (>2.43 points/ha) and NN algorithm selection over the NN algorithm training parameter optimization to perfection. This methodology for the analysis of site suitability of Scots pine can be recommended, especially when artificial regeneration of former mixed wood Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) - downy birch (Betula pubenscens Ehrh.) stands is being considered, so that artificially regenerated areas to Scots pine can be optimized for forestry purposes.     

Soil erosion modelled with USLE and PESERA using QuickBird derived vegetation parameters in an alpine catchment

The focus of soil erosion research in the Alps has been in two categories: (i) on-site measurements, which are rather small scale point measurements on selected plots often constrained to irrigation experiments or (ii) off-site quantification of sediment delivery at the outlet of the catchment. Results of both categories pointed towards the importance of an intact vegetation cover to prevent soil loss. With the recent availability of high-resolution satellites such as IKONOS and QuickBird options for detecting and monitoring vegetation parameters in heterogeneous terrain have increased. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of QuickBird derived vegetation parameters in soil erosion models for alpine sites by comparison to Cesium-137 (Cs-137) derived soil erosion estimates. The study site (67 km²) is located in the Central Swiss Alps (Urseren Valley) and is characterised by scarce forest cover and strong anthropogenic influences due to grassland farming for centuries. A fractional vegetation cover (FVC) map for grassland and detailed land-cover maps are available from linear spectral unmixing and supervised classification of QuickBird imagery. The maps were introduced to the Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment (PESERA) model as well as to the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). Regarding the latter model, the FVC was indirectly incorporated by adapting the C factor. Both models show an increase in absolute soil erosion values when FVC is considered. In contrast to USLE and the Cs-137 soil erosion rates, PESERA estimates are low. For the USLE model also the spatial patterns improved and showed “hotspots” of high erosion of up to 16 t ha⁻¹ a⁻¹. In conclusion field measurements of Cs-137 confirmed the improvement of soil erosion estimates using the satellite-derived vegetation data.     

一定分布模式下的最优Lp估计

观测数据在一定的分布模式下,需从理论上解决究竟用多大的ｐ值进行Ｌｐ估计（最优ｐ值的确定）,本文基于渐近方差整体最小的原则,给出了最优Ｌｐ估计的定义。观测数据中含有粗差（异常值）的扰动,其误差分布可视为污染分布,作者分析了最优ｐ值的大小,结果表明,若观测数据中含有不同大小、数量的粗差,为使Ｌｐ估计差最小,则ｐ将取［１．２,１．５］中的某一定值,Ｌｐ估计结果最优,此结论对测量数据处理具有一定的参考价值     

Determination of the factors governing soil erodibility using hyperspectral visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Soil erodibility, which is difficult to estimate and upscaling, was determined in this study using multiple spectral models of soil properties (soil organic matter (SOM), water-stable aggregates (WSA) > 0.25 mm, the geometric mean radius (D_g)). Herein, the soil erodibility indicators were calculated, and soil properties were quantitatively analyzed based on laboratory simulation experiments involving two selected contrasting soils. In addition, continuous wavelet transformation was applied to the reflectance spectra (350–2500 nm) of 65 soil samples from the study area. To build the relationship, the soil properties that control erodibility were identified prior to the spectral analysis. In this study, the SOM, D_g and WSA >0.25 mm were selected to represent the most significant soil properties controlling erodibility and describe the erodibility indicator based on a logarithmic regression model as a function of SOM or WSA > 0.25 mm. Five, six and three wavelet features were observed to calibrate the estimated soil properties model, and the best performance was obtained with a combination feature regression model for SOM (R² = 0.86, p < 0.01), D_g (R² = 0.79, p < 0.01) and WSA >0.25 mm (R² = 0.61, p < 0.01), respectively. One part of the wavelet features captured amplitude variations in the broad shape of the reflectance spectra, and another part captured variations in the shape and depth of the soil dry substances. The wavelet features for the validated dataset used to predict the SOM, WSA >0.25 mm and D_g were not significantly different compared with the calibrated dataset. The synthesized spectral models of soil properties, and the formation of a new equation for soil erodibility transformed from the spectral models of soil properties are presented in this study. These results show that a spectral analytical approach can be applied to complex datasets and provide new insights into emerging dynamic variation with erodibility estimation.     

微波消解―ICP―MS法测土壤和水系沉积物样品中的碘

介绍了用微波消解处理土壤和水系沉积物样品,用电感耦合等离子质谱仪(ICP-MS)快速高效测试碘的方法。方法的检出限为0. 012μg/g。所选的12个土壤和水系沉积物国家一级标准物质12次测定,除GBW07307a的RSD小于10%外,其余RSD值均小于5%,12次测试的平均值和标准值对数差绝对值均小于0. 05。方法加标回收率在98. 6%104. 6%之间。