Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4580079 Journal of Hydrology 2007 9 Pages PDF
Abstract

SummaryIn arid hillsides the topsoil moisture is a key factor in understanding environmental processes such as overland flow generation and soil–plant interactions. The reported research focused on the effects of hillside aspect and micro-topography on the spatial distribution of topsoil moisture on the shrub microenvironment scale, and on the diminution pattern of the moisture content after rain events. Data were acquired by close-range thermal infrared (TIR) imaging and processed with a model in which spatially consecutive TIR data are converted into soil moisture values and high-resolution maps. The results indicate a dynamic pattern of topsoil moisture in shrub microenvironments on arid hillsides. The pattern consists of a moist patch that is spatially associated with the shrub canopy projection. The changes in the spatial characteristics over time depend upon the micro-topography and the hillside aspect, north (N) or south (S). The main differences are in the soil moisture content (N > S), its rates of change (S > N), the size of the moist patch relative to the shrub canopy projection (N > S), and in the displacement of the moist patch relative to the shrub canopy projection (downslope on N and upslope on S). The results may provide a better understanding of the time variation of surface water resources on the shrub scale, and also of surface water redistribution during rainfall.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Earth-Surface Processes
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