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Abstract:Temporal stability of soil moisture spatial patterns has important implications for optimal soil and water management and effective field monitoring. The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal stability of soil moisture spatial patterns over four plots of 105 m ð 135 m in grid size with different grazing intensities in a semi-arid steppe in China. We also examined whether a time-stable location can be identified from causative factors (i.e. soil, vegetation, and topography). At each plot, surface soil moisture (0-6 cm) was measured about biweekly from 2004 to 2006 using 100 points in each grid. Possible controls of soil moisture, including soil texture, organic carbon, bulk density, vegetation coverage, and topographic indices, were determined at the same grid points. The results showed that the spatial patterns of soil moisture were considerably stable over the 3-y monitoring period. Soil moisture under wet conditions (averaged volumetric moisture contents >20%) was more stable than that under dry (Â j,t < 10%) or moist (Â j,t D 10-20%) conditions. The best representative point for the whole field identified in each plot was accurate in representing the field mean moisture over time (R 2 ½ 0Ð97; p < 0Ð0001). The degree of temporal persistence varied with grazing intensity, which was partly related to grazing-induced differences in soil and vegetation properties. The correlation analysis showed that soil properties, and to a lesser extent vegetation and topographic properties, were important in controlling the temporal stability of soil moisture spatial patterns in this relatively flat grassland. Response surface regression analysis was used to quantitatively identify representative monitoring locations a priori from available soil-plant parameters. This allows appropriate selection of monitoring locations and enhances efficiency in managing soil and water resources in semi-arid environments.
Abstract:Temporal stability of soil moisture spatial patterns has important implications for optimal soil and water management and effective field monitoring. The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal stability of soil moisture spatial patterns over four plots of 105 m ð 135 m in grid size with different grazing intensities in a semi-arid steppe in China. We also examined whether a time-stable location can be identified from causative factors (i.e. soil, vegetation, and topography). At each plot, surface soil moisture (0-6 cm) was measured about biweekly from 2004 to 2006 using 100 points in each grid. Possible controls of soil moisture, including soil texture, organic carbon, bulk density, vegetation coverage, and topographic indices, were determined at the same grid points. The results showed that the spatial patterns of soil moisture were considerably stable over the 3-y monitoring period. Soil moisture under wet conditions (averaged volumetric moisture contents >20%) was more stable than that under dry (Â j,t < 10%) or moist (Â j,t D 10-20%) conditions. The best representative point for the whole field identified in each plot was accurate in representing the field mean moisture over time (R 2 ½ 0Ð97; p < 0Ð0001). The degree of temporal persistence varied with grazing intensity, which was partly related to grazing-induced differences in soil and vegetation properties. The correlation analysis showed that soil properties, and to a lesser extent vegetation and topographic properties, were important in controlling the temporal stability of soil moisture spatial patterns in this relatively flat grassland. Response surface regression analysis was used to quantitatively identify representative monitoring locations a priori from available soil-plant parameters. This allows appropriate selection of monitoring locations and enhances efficiency in managing soil and water resources in semi-arid environments.
Coastal river deltas are densely populated areas and hotspots of vulnerability. The delta's ecological, social, and economic components are vulnerable to a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic threats. Sea level rise, climate variability, and rapid socio-economic development exert pressure on the already highly dynamic regions. To protect river deltas and their components, it is necessary to assess the degree of vulnerability so that mitigation efforts can be recommended to stakeholders and policy makers. Many such vulnerability assessments have been undertaken for river deltas. However, as vulnerability and related terms, such as resilience, coping-, and adaptive capacity only entered geosciences in the past decades, these terms are often used ambiguously. This makes it hard to compare existing studies, which not only interpret the related terms differently, but also consider completely different threats to deltas and their components, at different spatial and temporal scales. A comprehensive overview of studies addressing vulnerability of river deltas is missing. This paper presents a review, based on a consolidated set of definitions of vulnerability and related concepts in the context of coastal river deltas. All studies reviewed were categorized depending on their focus on either the ecologic, social, or economic component of river deltas, and were classified according to their spatial scale, temporal resolution, and numerous other research characteristics. Clear trends on dominant research foci in the field of river delta vulnerability could be extracted. Additionally, based on the findings presented here, recommendations for future assessments considering existing research gaps, are formulated.
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