IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecomod/v222y2011i14p2314-2332.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modelling and mapping topographic variations in forest soils at high resolution: A case study

Author

Listed:
  • Murphy, Paul N.C.
  • Ogilvie, Jae
  • Meng, Fan-Rui
  • White, Barry
  • Bhatti, Jagtar S.
  • Arp, Paul A.

Abstract

This article examines the utility of a digitally derived cartographic depth-to-water (DTW) index to model and map variations in drainage, vegetation and soil type and select soil properties within a forested area (40ha) of the Swan Hills, Alberta, Canada. This index was derived from a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) derived digital elevation model (DEM), with at least 1 ground return per m2. The resulting DTW pattern was set to be zero along all DEM-derived flow channels, each with a 4ha flow-initiation threshold. Soil type (luvisol, gleysol, mesisol), drainage type (very poor to excessive), vegetation type (hydric to xeric) and forest floor depth were determined along hillslope transects. These determinations conformed more closely to the DEM-derived log10(DTW) variations (R2>60%) than to the corresponding variations of the widely used topographic wetness index (TWI) (R2<25%). Setting log10(DTW) thresholds to represent the wet to moist to dry transitions between vegetation, drainage and soil type enabled a high-resolution mapping of these types across the study area. Also determined were soil moisture content, coarse fragment and soil particle composition (sand, silt, clay), pH, total C, N, S, P, Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, and available Ca, Mg, K, P and NH4, by soil layer type and depth. Most of these variables were also more correlated with log10(DTW) than with TWI, with and without soil layer depth as an additional regression variable. These variables are, therefore, subject to topographic controls to at least some extent, and can be modelled and mapped accordingly, as illustrated for soil moisture, forest floor depth and pH across the study area, from ridge tops to depressions. Further examinations revealed that the DEM-produced DTW and TWI patterns complemented one another, with DTW delineating soils in relation to local water-table influences, and with TWI delineating where the water would flow and accumulate.

Suggested Citation

  • Murphy, Paul N.C. & Ogilvie, Jae & Meng, Fan-Rui & White, Barry & Bhatti, Jagtar S. & Arp, Paul A., 2011. "Modelling and mapping topographic variations in forest soils at high resolution: A case study," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2314-2332.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:222:y:2011:i:14:p:2314-2332
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.01.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380011000251
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.01.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, C.F. & Meng, F.-R. & Bhatti, J.S. & Trofymow, J.A. & Arp, Paul A., 2008. "Modeling forest leaf-litter decomposition and N mineralization in litterbags, placed across Canada: A 5-model comparison," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 219(3), pages 342-360.
    2. Balland, Vincent & Pollacco, Joseph A.P. & Arp, Paul A., 2008. "Modeling soil hydraulic properties for a wide range of soil conditions," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 219(3), pages 300-316.
    3. Jutras, Marie-France & Nasr, Mina & Castonguay, Mark & Pit, Christopher & Pomeroy, Joseph H. & Smith, Todd P. & Zhang, Cheng-fu & Ritchie, Charles D. & Meng, Fan-Rui & Clair, Thomas A. & Arp, Paul A., 2011. "Dissolved organic carbon concentrations and fluxes in forest catchments and streams: DOC-3 model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2291-2313.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Oberski, Tomasz & Mróz, Marek & Ogilvie, Jae & Arp, John Paul & Arp, Paul A., 2021. "Addressing potential drought resiliency through high-resolution terrain and depression mapping," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    2. Francesco Latterini & Rachele Venanzi & Damiano Tocci & Rodolfo Picchio, 2022. "Depth-to-Water Maps to Identify Soil Areas That Are Potentially Sensitive to Logging Disturbance: Initial Evaluations in the Mediterranean Forest Context," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-13, May.
    3. Jutras, Marie-France & Nasr, Mina & Castonguay, Mark & Pit, Christopher & Pomeroy, Joseph H. & Smith, Todd P. & Zhang, Cheng-fu & Ritchie, Charles D. & Meng, Fan-Rui & Clair, Thomas A. & Arp, Paul A., 2011. "Dissolved organic carbon concentrations and fluxes in forest catchments and streams: DOC-3 model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2291-2313.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Chengfu & Jamieson, Rob C. & Meng, Fan-Rui & Gordon, Robert J. & Bourque, Charles P.-A., 2013. "Simulation of monthly dissolved organic carbon concentrations in small forested watersheds," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 205-213.
    2. Zanchi, Giuliana & Belyazid, Salim & Akselsson, Cecilia & Yu, Lin, 2014. "Modelling the effects of management intensification on multiple forest services: a Swedish case study," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 284(C), pages 48-59.
    3. Jutras, Marie-France & Nasr, Mina & Castonguay, Mark & Pit, Christopher & Pomeroy, Joseph H. & Smith, Todd P. & Zhang, Cheng-fu & Ritchie, Charles D. & Meng, Fan-Rui & Clair, Thomas A. & Arp, Paul A., 2011. "Dissolved organic carbon concentrations and fluxes in forest catchments and streams: DOC-3 model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2291-2313.
    4. Yu, Lin & Belyazid, Salim & Akselsson, Cecilia & van der Heijden, Gregory & Zanchi, Giuliana, 2016. "Storm disturbances in a Swedish forest—A case study comparing monitoring and modelling," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 320(C), pages 102-113.
    5. Balland, Vincent & Pollacco, Joseph A.P. & Arp, Paul A., 2008. "Modeling soil hydraulic properties for a wide range of soil conditions," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 219(3), pages 300-316.
    6. Lampa, Martin Erlandsson & Belyazid, Salim & Zanchi, Giuliana & Akselsson, Cecilia, 2019. "Effects of whole-tree harvesting on soil, soil water and tree growth – A dynamic modelling exercise in four long-term experiments," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 414(C).
    7. Larocque, Guy R. & Bhatti, Jagtar S. & Boutin, Robert & Chertov, Oleg, 2008. "Uncertainty analysis in carbon cycle models of forest ecosystems: Research needs and development of a theoretical framework to estimate error propagation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 219(3), pages 400-412.
    8. Smith, Amanda C. & Bhatti, Jagtar S. & Chen, Hua & Harmon, Mark E. & Arp, Paul A., 2011. "Modelling above- and below-ground mass loss and N dynamics in wooden dowels (LIDET) placed across North and Central America biomes at the decadal time scale," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2276-2290.
    9. Smyth, C.E. & Kurz, W.A. & Trofymow, J.A., 2011. "Including the effects of water stress on decomposition in the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector CBM-CFS3," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(5), pages 1080-1091.
    10. Ogbazghi, Z.M. & Tesfamariam, E.H. & Annandale, J.G., 2016. "Modelling N mineralisation from sludge-amended soils across agro-ecological zones: A case study from South Africa," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 322(C), pages 19-30.
    11. Li, Xia & Cui, Baoshan & Yang, Qichun & Lan, Yan & Wang, Tingting & Han, Zhen, 2013. "Effects of plant species on macrophyte decomposition under three nutrient conditions in a eutrophic shallow lake, North China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 121-128.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:222:y:2011:i:14:p:2314-2332. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecological-modelling .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.