Soil erosion is one of the most serious types of land degradation and it has severe economic and environmental impacts in the Mediterranean belt, as well as in large areas of the Italian territory. Water erosion and mass wasting are the major causes of soil degradation in large areas of the Calabria region, which may determine soil truncation or complete removal, loss of biodiversity and quality of ecosystem functions, decrease in productivity and may lead to desertification. The occurrence, depth and quality of surface horizons can be considered as indicators of the preservation/degradation state of soils in the field. Therefore, many soil properties can be directly linked to the soil erosion status, such as organic matter, calcium carbonate, texture, aggregation structure, infiltration capacity, etc. In particular, soil organic matter (SOM) content and its possible depletion can be assumed as a reliable tools for a quantitative assessment of soil degradation. It was shown that, in many cases, soils with <2% SOM content are highly erodible and thus much prone to degradation (FULLEN & CATT, 2004). Also, SOM has been identified as one of the major sinks in the global carbon cycle that may influence global warming (LAL, 2004). Conventional methods for mapping and monitoring SOM content are, time consuming, and expensive, as a great number of samples are required (DEMATTÈ et alii, 2006). An alternative approach to determine these properties is based on the use of the proximal spectral reflectance in the visible-near infrared-short wave infrared (VIS-NIR-SWIR) region. (LEONE & SOMMER, 2000), that has the advantage to be rapid, non-destructive and inexpensive (DEMATTÈ et alii, 2006). The purpose of this study was to delineate eroded zones in a representative sample area of southern Italy, using SOM as a key indicators. To do that, was to test the use of laboratory VIS-NIRSWIR spectroscopy as fast and accurate technique to develop an empirical model for predicting SOM. A calibration model between SOM and soil spectral reflectance measurements was developed using a PLSR statistical method. (VISCARRA ROSSELL et alii, 2006). Finally, a geostatistical approach was employed to map spatial pattern of SOM, obtained from the laboratory measurements and the ones predicted from the soil spectral reflectance data, that consequently provide a characterize spatial variability of the soil erosion severity.

Soil erosion assessment using proximal spectral reflectance in VIS-NIR-SWIR region in sample area of Calabria region (southern Italy)

ROBUSTELLI, Gaetano;SCARCIGLIA, Fabio
2012-01-01

Abstract

Soil erosion is one of the most serious types of land degradation and it has severe economic and environmental impacts in the Mediterranean belt, as well as in large areas of the Italian territory. Water erosion and mass wasting are the major causes of soil degradation in large areas of the Calabria region, which may determine soil truncation or complete removal, loss of biodiversity and quality of ecosystem functions, decrease in productivity and may lead to desertification. The occurrence, depth and quality of surface horizons can be considered as indicators of the preservation/degradation state of soils in the field. Therefore, many soil properties can be directly linked to the soil erosion status, such as organic matter, calcium carbonate, texture, aggregation structure, infiltration capacity, etc. In particular, soil organic matter (SOM) content and its possible depletion can be assumed as a reliable tools for a quantitative assessment of soil degradation. It was shown that, in many cases, soils with <2% SOM content are highly erodible and thus much prone to degradation (FULLEN & CATT, 2004). Also, SOM has been identified as one of the major sinks in the global carbon cycle that may influence global warming (LAL, 2004). Conventional methods for mapping and monitoring SOM content are, time consuming, and expensive, as a great number of samples are required (DEMATTÈ et alii, 2006). An alternative approach to determine these properties is based on the use of the proximal spectral reflectance in the visible-near infrared-short wave infrared (VIS-NIR-SWIR) region. (LEONE & SOMMER, 2000), that has the advantage to be rapid, non-destructive and inexpensive (DEMATTÈ et alii, 2006). The purpose of this study was to delineate eroded zones in a representative sample area of southern Italy, using SOM as a key indicators. To do that, was to test the use of laboratory VIS-NIRSWIR spectroscopy as fast and accurate technique to develop an empirical model for predicting SOM. A calibration model between SOM and soil spectral reflectance measurements was developed using a PLSR statistical method. (VISCARRA ROSSELL et alii, 2006). Finally, a geostatistical approach was employed to map spatial pattern of SOM, obtained from the laboratory measurements and the ones predicted from the soil spectral reflectance data, that consequently provide a characterize spatial variability of the soil erosion severity.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11770/157598
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