Search results for "soil"

Modelling bulk surface resistance by MODIS data and assessment of MOD16A2 evapotranspiration product in an irrigation district of Southern Italy

2016

Abstract In this study, accurate estimates of daily actual evapotranspiration, ET a , were obtained based on the direct Penman–Monteith application, in which the bulk surface resistance term was computed by considering, as main input, daily remotely sensed Land Surface Temperature (LST). In particular, Eddy Covariance measurements of ET a , associated to LST obtained by MODIS time series (MOD11A2) characterized by 8-day resolution, allowed to calibrate a simple bulk surface resistance model, based on two-years of data observations collected in a quite homogeneous irrigation district of Sicily, where olive grove is the main crop. The model was then validated by an independent database collec…

A NEW VERSION OF THE USLE-MM FOR PREDICTING BARE PLOT SOIL LOSS AT THE SPARACIA (SOUTH ITALY) EXPERIMENTAL SITE

2015

Improving empirical prediction of plot soil erosion at the event temporal scale has both scientific and practical importance. In this investigation, 492 runoff and soil loss data from plots of different length,  (11 <  < 44 m), and steepness, s (14.9 < s < 26.0%), established at the Sparacia experimental station, in Sicily, south Italy, were used to derive a new version of USLE-MM model, by only assuming a value of one for the topographic length, L, and steepness, S, factors for  = 22 m and s = 9%, respectively. An erosivity index equal to (QREI30)b1, QR and EI30 being the runoff coefficient and the event rainfall erosivity index, respectively, with b1 > 1 was found to be …

Do stones modify the spatial distribution of fire induced soil water repellency? Preliminary data

2013

Water repellency is a property of many fire-affected soils that contributes to delayed wetting rates and shows many hydrological and geomorphological consequences. Fire-induced soil water repellency (SWR) may be modulated by pre-fire soil and vegetation properties. Many studies have been carried out to investigate the relationship between SWR and these properties. But, to our knowledge, no studies have considered the effect of surface stones in the spatial distribution of fire-induced SWR. In this research, we study the occurrence and spatial and vertical distribution of SWR and its consequences on soil structure after experimental burning in a previously wettable soil under different stone…

ASSESSING FAO-56 MODEL TO ESTIMATE TABLE OLIVE WATER CONSUME UNDER SOIL WATER DEFICIT CONDITIONS

2012

Agro-hydrological models can be considered an economic and simple tool to quantify crop water requirements. In the last two decades, agro-hydrological physically based models have been developed to simulate mass and energy exchange processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. Although very reliable, due to the high number of required variables, simplified models have been proposed as simple tools to quantify crop water consumes. The main aim of the paper is to assess, for a Sicilian orchard of table olive, the suitability of FAO-56 agro-hydrological model to estimate the crop transpiration under soil water deficit conditions. The model validation is carried out by means of measurements of…

Adapting FAO-56 Spreadsheet Program to estimate olive orchard transpiration fluxes under soil water stress condition

2012

Estimating crop coefficients and actual evapotranspiration in citrus orchards with sporadic cover weeds based on ground and remote sensing data

2022

AbstractAccurate estimations of actual crop evapotranspiration are of utmost importance to evaluate crop water requirements and to optimize water use efficiency. At this aim, coupling simple agro-hydrological models, such as the well-known FAO-56 model, with remote observations of the land surface could represent an easy-to-use tool to identify biophysical parameters of vegetation, such as the crop coefficient Kc under the actual field conditions and to estimate actual crop evapotranspiration. This paper intends, therefore, to propose an operational procedure to evaluate the spatio-temporal variability of Kc in a citrus orchard characterized by the sporadic presence of ground weeds, based o…

Discussion of “Laboratory and field calibration of the Diviner 2000 probe in two types of soil” by J. Haberland, PhD, R. Galvez, C. Kremer, PhD, and …

2014

The authors deal with the quite interesting and actual problem of Diviner 2000 capacitance probe calibration and present some field and laboratory data obtained on two different layers (0-0.26 cm and 0.26-0.50 cm) of the same soil profile, characterized by different textural class. The importance of site-specific calibration of sensors used to monitor soil or plant water status assumes a particular relevance in semi-arid environments where the application of precision irrigation represents an appropriate management strategy aimed to achieve high values of water use efficiency (Cammalleri et al., 2013). Moreover in clay soils, physical properties are strongly influenced by soil water content…

FERTILITY DECLINE IN AN ANTRHROPOGENIC SOIL Subjected since many years to intensive viticulture.

2004

Mapping snow density through thermal inertia observations

2023

Snow, as a fundamental reservoir of freshwater, is a crucial natural resource. Specifically, knowledge of snow density spatial and temporal variability could improve modelling of snow water equivalent, which is relevant for managing freshwater resources in context of ongoing climate change. The possibility of estimating snow density from remote sensing has great potential, considering the availability of satellite data and their ability to generate efficient monitoring systems from space. In this study, we present an innovative method that combines meteorological parameters, satellite data and field snow measurements to estimate thermal inertia of snow and snow density at a catchment scale.…

Combined effects of compost and Medicago sativa in recovery a PCB contaminated soil

2020

The effectiveness of adding compost and the plant Medicago sativa in improving the quality of a soil historically contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was tested in greenhouse microcosms. Plant pots, containing soil samples from an area contaminated by PCBs, were treated with the compost and the plant, separately or together. Moreover, un-treated and un-planted microcosms were used as controls. At fixed times (1, 133 and 224 days), PCBs were analysed and the structure (cell abundance, phylogenetic characterization) and functioning (cell viability, dehydrogenase activity) of the natural microbial community were also measured. The results showed the effectiveness of the compost an…