Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Optical Trapezoid Model: A Novel Approach To Remote Sensing Of Soil Moisture Applied To Sentinel-2 And Landsat-8 Observations, Morteza Sadeghi, Ebrahim Babaeian, Markus Tuller, Scott B. Jones

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

The “trapezoid” or “triangle” model constitutes the most popular approach to remote sensing (RS) of surface soil moisture based on coupled thermal (i.e., land surface temperature) and optical RS observations. The model, hereinafter referred to as Thermal-Optical TRAapezoid Model (TOTRAM), is based on interpretation of the pixel distribution within the land surface temperature - vegetation index (LST-VI) space. TOTRAM suffers from two inherent limitations. It is not applicable to satellites that do not provide thermal data (e.g., Sentinel-2) and it requires parameterization for each individual observation date. To overcome these restrictions we propose a novel OPtical TRApezoid Model (OPTRAM), which …

Experimental Evidence For Drought Induced Alternative Stable States Of Soil Moisture, David A. Robinson, Scott B. Jones, Inma Lebron, Sabine Reinsch, Maria T. Dominguez, Andrew R. Smith, Davey L. Jones, Miles R. Marshall, Bridget A. Emmett

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Ecosystems may exhibit alternative stable states (ASS) in response to environmental change. Modelling and observational data broadly support the theory of ASS, however evidence from manipulation experiments supporting this theory is limited. Here, we provide long-term manipulation and observation data supporting the existence of drought induced alternative stable soil moisture states (irreversible soil wetting) in upland Atlantic heath, dominated by Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull. Manipulated repeated moderate summer drought, and intense natural summer drought both lowered resilience resulting in shifts in soil moisture dynamics. The repeated moderate summer drought decreased winter soil moisture retention by ∼10%. However, intense summer drought, …

Soil Water Potential Control Of The Relationship Between Moisture And Greenhouse Gas Fluxes In Corn-Soybean Field, Dinesh Panday, Nsalambi V. Nkongolo

Dinesh Panday

Soil Respiration Patterns And Controls In Limestone Cedar Glades, Jennifer Cartwright, Dafeng Hui

Biology Faculty Research

Aims

Drivers of soil respiration (R s ) in rock outcrop ecosystems remain poorly understood. We investigated these drivers in limestone cedar glades, known for their concentrations of endemic plant species and for seasonal hydrologic extremes (xeric and saturated conditions), and compared our findings to those in temperate grasslands and semi-arid ecosystems.

Methods

We measured R s , soil temperature (T s ), volumetric soil water content (SWC), soil organic matter (SOM), soil depth, and vegetation cover monthly over 16 mo and analyzed effects of these variables on R s .

Results

Seasonally, R s primarily tracked T …

Soil Moisture Recognition And The Spatial Distribution Of Storm Activity In The Mojave Desert Using High-Resolution Aster And Modis Imagery For Thermophysical Mapping, Russell J. Skuse

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Climate models suggest that the Mojave Desert ecoregion is vulnerable to becoming drier in the future, and as the human population grows and development increases, environmental stresses will likely increase. Determining the spatial distribution and variation of soil moisture on a regional scale is an essential component to climate change, hydrologic, and habitat analyses. Soil permeability and sediment stability are characteristics that have been shown to be measurable from remote sensing observations. The primary objective of this project is to map the mechanical composition of the surface materials in the Mojave Desert ecoregion with implications for soil permeability, sediment stability, …

Factors Influencing Soil Moisture At The Hillslope Scale In A Semi-Arid Mountainous Environment, Ivan John Geroy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Soil moisture couples ground, surface, and atmospheric water interactions via the processes of evapotranspiration, infiltration, and runoff generation (Grayson et al., 1997). Consequently, understanding the factors that influence the spatial distribution of soil moisture is vitally important to the accurate conceptualization and modeling of watershed processes. Typically, topographic indexing methods for the prediction of soil moisture have been studied in temperate or humid areas where the soil profile is often saturated and redistribution of soil moisture is driven by topography (Famiglietti et al., 1998; Grayson et al., 1997; Western et al., 1999). By contrast, in semi-arid environments, long periods of …

Reproducibility Of Soil Moisture Ensembles When Representing Soil Parameter Uncertainty Using A Latin Hypercube–Based Approach With Correlation Control, Alejandro N. Flores, Dara Entekhabi, Rafael L. Bras

Alejandro N. Flores

Representation of model input uncertainty is critical in ensemble-based data assimilation. Monte Carlo sampling of model inputs produces uncertainty in the hydrologic state through the model dynamics. Small Monte Carlo ensemble sizes are desirable because of model complexity and dimensionality but potentially lead to sampling errors and correspondingly poor representation of probabilistic structure of the hydrologic state. We compare two techniques to sample soil hydraulic and thermal properties (SHTPs): (1) Latin Hypercube (LH) based sampling with correlation control and (2) random sampling from SHTP marginal distributions. A hydrology model is used to project SHTP uncertainty onto the soil moisture state …

Water Source Partitioning For Shrubland Transpiration Using Innovative Field Methods, Dale A. Devitt, Michael Young, Matthew S. Lachniet, Jeremy Koonce, Amanda Wagner, Brian M. Bird, J. Healey

2010 Annual Nevada NSF EPSCoR Climate Change Conference

37 PowerPoint slides Convener: Franco Biondi, UNR & Michael Young, DRI Session 4: Ecological Change and Water Resources Abstract: -Climate change models predict a decline in precipitation over the next few decades throughout much of the southwest. -Such change has the potential to shift water uptake dynamics of phreatophytes -If groundwater pumping also occurs, the impact of climate change could be exacerbated. -A better understanding of the forces that drive the coupling and decoupling of phreatophytes to groundwater is needed.

Soil Moisture And Water Stage Estimation Using Precipitation Radar, Sumit Puri

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In south-western United States, soil moisture data is important for drought studies in the region which is experiencing a drought for many years, whereas in South Florida, water stage data is required by hydrologists to monitor the hydrological flow in wetlands. Soil moisture data and water stage data are not sufficiently available due to sparse monitoring stations. Installation of dense measuring stations over an extended area is costly and labor intensive. Therefore, there is a need to develop an alternative method of measuring soil moisture and water stage. Microwave remote sensing has proven to be a useful tool in the …

A Study Of Land Surface Processes Using Land Surface Models Over The Little River Experimental Watershed, A. K. Sahoo, P. A. Dirmeyer, P. R. Houser, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Three different land surface models (Hydrological improvements to the Simplified version of the Simple Biosphere model (HySSiB), Noah model, and Community Land Model (CLM)) were simulated on the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Land Information System platform at 1-km resolution over the Little River Experimental Watershed, Georgia, and the simulated results were analyzed to address the local-scale land-atmosphere processes. All the three models simulated the soil moisture in space and time realistically. The Noah model produced higher soil moisture whereas the CLM got lower soil moisture with many dry down phases. CLM and HySSiB models were oversensitive to the atmospheric …

Crop Updates 2006 - Oilseeds, Graham Walton, Fiona Martin, Anne Wilkins, Nathan Hancock, Matthew Nelson, Marieclaire Castello, Linda Thompson, Anouska Cousin, Guijun Yan, Wallace Cowling, Moin Salam, Bill Mcloud, Ravjit Khangura, Jean Galloway, Art Diggle, R. F. Brennan, M. D. A. Bolland, P. M. Damon, Z. Rengel, Terry Rose, Qifu Ma, Dave Eksteen

Crop Updates

This session covers thirteen papers from different authors:

1. INTRODUCTION, Graham Walton, CONVENOR, Department of Agriculture

2. The performance of new TT canola varieties in National Variety Testing (NVT) WA, Fiona Martin, Research Agronomist, Agritech Crop Research

3. Comparison of TT Canola Varieties in Oilseeds WA Trials – 2005, Collated by G.H. Walton, Department of Agriculture, WA, from a collaboration between Oilseeds WA, Seed Companies, Agronomists and Growers

4. An overview of the potential for a Biofuels Industry in Western Australia, Anne Wilkins and Nathan Hancock, Department of Agriculture

5. Retrieval of fertile progeny from interspecific …

Crop Updates 1999 - Oilseeds, Paul Carmody, Rick Madin, David Bowran, Martin Barbetti, Ravjit Khangura, Graham Walton, Phil Parker, Francoise Berlandier, Linnet Cartwright, Ping Si, Nick Galwey, David Turner, Wayne Pluske, Roger Jones, Brenda Coutts, Bill Bowden, Isabel Arevalo-Vigne, Jeff Russell, Syed H. Zaheer, Andrew Simon, Art Diggle, Dave Eksteen, Arjen Ryder, Bill Crabtree, Serena Wyatt, Jim Baily

Crop Updates

This article contains eighteen papers

1. INTRODUCTION, Paul Carmody, Agriculture Western Australia

PLENARY SESSION

1. Transgenic canola in Western Australia: Outlook and challenges, Phil Salisbury, University of Melbourne

2. Farming system issues for herbicide tolerant canola, Rick Madin, Rick Madin and Associates, David Bowran, Agriculture Western Australia

3. Beating blackleg in 1999, Martin Barbetti, Ravjit Khangura, Paul Carmody, Graham Walton, Agriculture Western Australia

4. The Mustard Industry in Australia – Opportunities for a new oilseed, Phil Parker, NSW Agriculture

5. Management of blackleg with fungicides, Ravjit Khangura and Martin Barbetti, Agriculture Western Australia

6. Effect of aphid feeding …

   ---

   Go to article

Migration Of Water During Winter In West Central Minnesota Soils, Brenton S. Sharratt

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Soil freezing influences the amount and quality of our water resources, yet, little is known concerning the impacts of soil texture and water content before freezing on water migration in frozen soils. Columns of Hamerly clay loam and Sioux loam at 3 initial water contents were subjected to the vagaries of the field environment at Morris, Minnesota during the winter of 1993-1994 and then sectioned to determine changes in soil water content. Redistribution of water in the frozen soil layer became more apparent with an increase in initial water content. Little movement of water occurred at the lowest initial water …

Studies On Freezing And Thawing Soils In Iowa, Jerry K. Radke, Edwin C. Berry

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Frozen soils have a major influence on the cropping systems and farming practices in northern states. However, relatively little research has been done on the physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur in the field during the non-growing season. Experiments on frozen soils were started recently in Iowa to 1) study the effects of residue cover on soil freezing and thawing, 2) measure the movement of water and solutes and changes in soil structure due to freezing and thawing of repacked soil columns in the field, 3) test the SHAW (Simultaneous Heat And Water) model for its capability to predict …

Soil Freeze-Thaw Processes: Implications For Nutrient Cycling, C. Wayne Honeycutt

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Soil freeze-thaw processes can regulate nutrient availability to plants by influencing nutrient leakage from plant tissues, nutrient release from soil organisms, mineral weathering, various inorganic nutrient transformations, and nutrient transport in both soil solution and sediment. These aspects of freeze-thaw processes are given in this review. A frequently reported observation is that soil water content controls the extent of freeze-thaw impacts on several chemical, physical, and biological processes and components important for nutrient cycling. Practices affecting soil water content, such as tillage and crop residue management, may therefore provide opportunities for managing freeze-thaw impacts on nutrient use efficiency in crop …

Morphological Indicators Of Seasonally-Saturated Soils For A Hydrosequence In Southeastern Minnesota, J. C. Bell, J. A. Thompson, C. A. Butler

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The duration and depth of seasonal soil saturation affects soil suitability for many landuses and are critical factors in the determination of hydric soil boundaries for jurisdictional wetland delineations. Biochemical processes in saturated, anaerobic soil conditions lead to the genesis of soil morphological features that indicate the duration of seasonal saturation. However, few prior studies confirm the relationships between soil hydrology and soil morphology in Minnesota landscapes. We monitored water table and piezometric elevations, soil temperature, redox potential, and soil matric potential at multiple depths for five locations along a hillslope hydrosequence of well to very poorly drained prairie soils …

Observation And Prediction Of Soil Water Under Different Types Of Vegetation, D. V. Wroblewski, D. F. Grigal

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Soil water trends were monitored during the 1971 growing season on the Anoka Sand Plain in east-central Minnesota. Soils were sampled under four vegetation densities, ranging from old field through increasing amounts of oak overstory. There was no difference over the sampled period in total soil water content (to 100 cm) on the four sites. Differences were found in water content of individual soil horizons, and especially in the surface horizon (0 to 10 cm). A model of evapotranspiration was used to simulate the observed trends and the prediction and observations were closely correlated (r2 ~ 0 .91).

Part I - Controlling The Soil Moisture Environment Of Transpiring Plants, Part Ii - Prediction Of Leaf Temperature Under Natural Atmospheric Conditions, Charles T. Haan, Billy J. Barfield, Robert Edling

KWRRI Research Reports

Part I

A technique for controlling the soil moisture potential in the root zone of transpiring plants was developed. The method uses the principles of unsaturated flow through a porous media to develop the desired moisture potential. In the case of non-steady state transpiration, the maximum possible fluctuation in the soil moisture potential can be determined by the techniques presented.

Part II

Two implicit leaf temperature prediction equations were derived from the energy balance approach. The equations define sensible and latent heat transfer from a plant population as a two step process:

1. Transfer between the plant leaf and the canopy …

Temperature Dependence Of Soil-Moisture Potential, Jacob Willem Kijne

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Teachers have noticed that children draw only those objects which they know by name. Doubtless the adult has a similar tendency, exemplified by the researcher, to limit his observations or to relate them to that which can be expressed in the terminology of an existing or newly developed theory. In this thesis the data obtained from studies of the temperature and pressure dependence of the relative vapor pressure over moist soil samples are analyzed by a thermodynamic approach. Not all of the results can be explained completely by means of this tool. Natural systems, such as a moist soil, are …

Horizontal Movement Of Moisture In Soil, D. W. L. Read

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The movement of water in soils is of great importance to all of us but especially to agriculturalists. If it were not for this movement plants would not be able to survive in soil. If the moisture moves too freely in the soil insufficient water can be stored to supply plants during dry periods. The movement of water through soil may remove plant nutrients or accumulate salts in soil horizons.

The flow of water in soil has been studied extensively for many years. Water movement can occur in either saturated or unsaturated soil. Darcy's law can be used with a …

Bulletin No. 139 - The Movement Of Soluble Salts With The Soil Moisture, F. S. Harris

UAES Bulletins

In irrigated districts, where excessive quantities of water are used, there is usually an accumulation of alkali salts in the soils of the lower lands. These salts are probably dissolved from the soils through which the percolating waters pass and are carried along until the water comes to the surface and is evaporated, when the salts are deposited as a crust at the surface. Many of the most fertile soils of the arid regions have been ruined by the bringing to the surface of soluble salts in such large quantities that the growth of crops is prohibited. The rapidity with …