Table Of ContentDK3011_title 7/18/05 2:57 PM Page 1
Environmental
Soil-Landscape
Modeling
Geographic Information
Technologies and Pedometrics
edited by
Sabine Grunwald
Boca Raton London New York
A CRC title, part of the Taylor & Francis imprint, a member of the
Taylor & Francis Group, the academic division of T&F Informa plc.
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
DK3011_series 6/24/05 5:26 PM Page 1
BOOKS IN SOILS,PLANTS,AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Editorial Board
Agricultural Engineering Robert M. Peart, University of Florida, Gainesville
Crops Mohammad Pessarakli, University of Arizona, Tucson
Environment Kenneth G. Cassman, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Irrigation and Hydrology Donald R. Nielsen, University of California, Davis
Microbiology Jan Dirk van Elsas, Research Institute for Plant
Protection, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Plants L. David Kuykendall, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Beltsville, Maryland
Kenneth B. Marcum, Arizona State University, Tempe
Soils Jean-Marc Bollag, Pennsylvania State University,
University Park
Tsuyoshi Miyazaki, University of Tokyo, Japan
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 1,edited by A.D.McLaren
and G.H.Peterson
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 2,edited by A.D.McLaren and J.Skujins
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 3,edited by E.A.Paul and A.D.McLaren
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 4,edited by E.A.Paul and A.D.McLaren
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 5,edited by E.A.Paul and J.N.Ladd
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 6,edited by Jean-Marc Bollag
and G.Stotzky
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 7,edited by G.Stotzky
and Jean-Marc Bollag
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 8,edited by Jean-Marc Bollag
and G.Stotzky
Soil Biochemistry, Volume 9, edited by G.Stotzky
and Jean-Marc Bollag
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Organic Chemicals in the Soil Environment, Volumes 1 and 2,
edited by C.A.I.Goring and J.W.Hamaker
Humic Substances in the Environment, M.Schnitzer and S.U.Khan
Microbial Life in the Soil:An Introduction, T.Hattori
Principles of Soil Chemistry, Kim H.Tan
Soil Analysis:Instrumental Techniques and Related Procedures,
edited by Keith A.Smith
Soil Reclamation Processes:Microbiological Analyses and
Applications, edited by Robert L.Tate III and Donald A.Klein
Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Technology, edited by Gerald H.Elkan
Soil-–Water Interactions:Mechanisms and Applications, Shingo Iwata
and Toshio Tabuchi with Benno P.Warkentin
Soil Analysis:Modern Instrumental Techniques, Second Edition,
edited by Keith A.Smith
Soil Analysis: Physical Methods, edited by Keith A.Smith
and Chris E.Mullins
Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops, N.K.Fageria,
V.C.Baligar, and Charles Allan Jones
Semiarid Lands and Deserts: Soil Resource and Reclamation,
edited by J.Skujins
Plant Roots:The Hidden Half, edited by Yoav Waisel, Amram Eshel,
and Uzi Kafkafi
Plant Biochemical Regulators, edited by Harold W.Gausman
Maximizing Crop Yields, N.K.Fageria
Transgenic Plants:Fundamentals and Applications, edited by
Andrew Hiatt
Soil Microbial Ecology:Applications in Agricultural and Environmental
Management, edited by F.Blaine Metting, Jr.
Principles of Soil Chemistry:Second Edition, Kim H.Tan
Water Flow in Soils, edited by Tsuyoshi Miyazaki
Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress, edited by Mohammad Pessarakli
Genetic Improvement of Field Crops, edited by Gustavo A.Slafer
Agricultural Field Experiments:Design and Analysis,
Roger G.Petersen
Environmental Soil Science, Kim H.Tan
Mechanisms of Plant Growth and Improved Productivity:Modern
Approaches, edited by Amarjit S.Basra
Selenium in the Environment, edited by W.T.Frankenberger, Jr.
and Sally Benson
Plant–Environment Interactions, edited by Robert E.Wilkinson
Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology, edited by
Mohammad Pessarakli
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Handbook of Phytoalexin Metabolism and Action, edited by M.Daniel
and R.P.Purkayastha
Soil–Water Interactions:Mechanisms and Applications, Second
Edition, Revised and Expanded, Shingo Iwata, Toshio Tabuchi,
and Benno P.Warkentin
Stored-Grain Ecosystems, edited by Digvir S.Jayas, Noel D.G.White,
and William E.Muir
Agrochemicals from Natural Products, edited by C.R.A.Godfrey
Seed Development and Germination, edited by Jaime Kigel
and Gad Galili
Nitrogen Fertilization in the Environment, edited by
Peter Edward Bacon
Phytohormones in Soils:Microbial Production and Function,
William T.Frankenberger, Jr., and Muhammad Arshad
Handbook of Weed Management Systems, edited by Albert E.Smith
Soil Sampling, Preparation, and Analysis, Kim H.Tan
Soil Erosion, Conservation, and Rehabilitation, edited by
Menachem Agassi
Plant Roots:The Hidden Half, Second Edition, Revised and
Expanded, edited by Yoav Waisel, Amram Eshel,
and Uzi Kafkafi
Photoassimilate Distribution in Plants and Crops:Source–Sink
Relationships, edited by Eli Zamski and Arthur A.Schaffer
Mass Spectrometry of Soils, edited by Thomas W.Boutton
and Shinichi Yamasaki
Handbook of Photosynthesis, edited by Mohammad Pessarakli
Chemical and Isotopic Groundwater Hydrology:The Applied
Approach, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded,
Emanuel Mazor
Fauna in Soil Ecosystems:Recycling Processes, Nutrient Fluxes,
and Agricultural Production, edited by Gero Benckiser
Soil and Plant Analysis in Sustainable Agriculture and Environment,
edited by Teresa Hood and J.Benton Jones, Jr.
Seeds Handbook:Biology, Production, Processing, and Storage,
B.B.Desai, P.M.Kotecha, and D.K.Salunkhe
Modern Soil Microbiology, edited by J.D.van Elsas, J.T.Trevors,
and E.M.H.Wellington
Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops:Second Edition,
N.K.Fageria, V.C.Baligar, and Charles Allan Jones
Fungal Pathogenesis in Plants and Crops:Molecular Biology
and Host Defense Mechanisms, P.Vidhyasekaran
Plant Pathogen Detection and Disease Diagnosis, P.Narayanasamy
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Agricultural Systems Modeling and Simulation, edited by
Robert M.Peart and R.Bruce Curry
Agricultural Biotechnology, edited by Arie Altman
Plant–Microbe Interactions and Biological Control, edited by
Greg J.Boland and L.David Kuykendall
Handbook of Soil Conditioners:Substances That Enhance
the Physical Properties of Soil, edited by Arthur Wallace
and Richard E.Terry
Environmental Chemistry of Selenium, edited by
William T.Frankenberger, Jr., and Richard A.Engberg
Principles of Soil Chemistry:Third Edition, Revised and Expanded,
Kim H.Tan
Sulfur in the Environment, edited by Douglas G.Maynard
Soil–Machine Interactions:A Finite Element Perspective, edited by
Jie Shen and Radhey Lal Kushwaha
Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food Safety, edited by Kaushal K.Sinha
and Deepak Bhatnagar
Plant Amino Acids:Biochemistry and Biotechnology, edited by
Bijay K.Singh
Handbook of Functional Plant Ecology, edited by Francisco I.Pugnaire
and Fernando Valladares
Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress:Second Edition, Revised
and Expanded, edited by Mohammad Pessarakli
Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses:From Phytohormones
to Genome Reorganization, edited by H.R.Lerner
Handbook of Pest Management, edited by John R.Ruberson
Environmental Soil Science:Second Edition, Revised and Expanded,
Kim H.Tan
Microbial Endophytes, edited by Charles W.Bacon
and James F.White, Jr.
Plant–Environment Interactions:Second Edition, edited by
Robert E.Wilkinson
Microbial Pest Control, Sushil K.Khetan
Soil and Environmental Analysis:Physical Methods, Second Edition,
Revised and Expanded, edited by Keith A.Smith
and Chris E.Mullins
The Rhizosphere:Biochemistry and Organic Substances at the
Soil–Plant Interface, Roberto Pinton, Zeno Varanini,
and Paolo Nannipieri
Woody Plants and Woody Plant Management:Ecology, Safety,
and Environmental Impact, Rodney W.Bovey
Metals in the Environment, M.N.V.Prasad
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Plant Pathogen Detection and Disease Diagnosis:Second Edition,
Revised and Expanded, P.Narayanasamy
Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology:Second Edition, Revised
and Expanded, edited by Mohammad Pessarakli
Environmental Chemistry of Arsenic, edited by
William T.Frankenberger, Jr.
Enzymes in the Environment:Activity, Ecology, and Applications,
edited by Richard G.Burns and Richard P.Dick
Plant Roots:The Hidden Half, Third Edition, Revised and Expanded,
edited by Yoav Waisel, Amram Eshel, and Uzi Kafkafi
Handbook of Plant Growth:pH as the Master Variable, edited by
Zdenko Rengel
Biological Control of Major Crop Plant Diseases edited by
Samuel S.Gnanamanickam
Pesticides in Agriculture and the Environment, edited by
Willis B.Wheeler
Mathematical Models of Crop Growth and Yield, , Allen R.Overman
and Richard Scholtz
Plant Biotechnology and Transgenic Plants, edited by
Kirsi-Marja Oksman Caldentey and Wolfgang Barz
Handbook of Postharvest Technology:Cereals, Fruits, Vegetables,
Tea, and Spices, edited by Amalendu Chakraverty,
Arun S.Mujumdar, G.S.Vijaya Raghavan,
and Hosahalli S.Ramaswamy
Handbook of Soil Acidity, edited by Zdenko Rengel
Humic Matter in Soil and the Environment:Principles
and Controversies, edited by Kim H.Tan
Molecular Host Plant Resistance to Pests, edited by S.Sadasivam
and B.Thayumanayan
Soil and Environmental Analysis:Modern Instrumental Techniques,
Third Edition, edited by Keith A.Smith and Malcolm S.Cresser
Chemical and Isotopic Groundwater Hydrology, Third Edition,
edited by Emanuel Mazor
Agricultural Systems Management:Optimizing Efficiency
and Performance, edited by Robert M.Peart
and W.David Shoup
Physiology and Biotechnology Integration for Plant Breeding,
edited by Henry T.Nguyen and Abraham Blum
Global Water Dynamics:Shallow and Deep Groundwater:Petroleum
Hydrology:Hydrothermal Fluids, and Landscaping, , edited by
Emanuel Mazor
Principles of Soil Physics, edited by Rattan Lal
Seeds Handbook:Biology, Production, Processing, and Storage,
Second Edition, Babasaheb B.Desai
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Field Sampling:Principles and Practices in Environmental Analysis,
edited by Alfred R.Conklin
Sustainable Agriculture and the International Rice-Wheat System,
edited by Rattan Lal, Peter R.Hobbs, Norman Uphoff,
and David O.Hansen
Plant Toxicology, Fourth Edition, edited by Bertold Hock
and Erich F.Elstner
Drought and Water Crises:Science, Technology, and Management
Issues, edited by Donald A.Wilhite
Soil Sampling, Preparation, and Analysis, Second Edition, Kim H.Tan
Climate Change and Global Food Security, edited by Rattan Lal,
Norman Uphoff, B.A.Stewart, and David O.Hansen
Handbook of Photosynthesis, Second Edition, edited by
Mohammad Pessarakli
Environmental Soil-Landscape Modeling:Geographic Information
Technologies and Pedometrics, edited by Sabine Grunwald
Water Flow In Soils, Second Edition, Tsuyoshi Miyazaki
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
DK3011_Discl.fm Page 1 Friday, July 29, 2005 11:39 AM
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect
the views of the editor or of the University of Florida.
Published in 2006 by
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Environmental soil-landscape modeling : geographic information technologies and pedometrics /
edited by Sabine Grunwald.
p. cm. -- (Books in soils, plants, and the environment)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8247-2389-9 (alk. paper)
1. Soils--Environmental aspects--Computer simulation. 2. Geographic information systems. I.
Grunwald, Sabine. II. Books in soils, plants, and the environment (Taylor & Francis)
S596.E58 2005
631.4'01'13--dc22 2005050562
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
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© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
DK3011_C000.fm Page ix Tuesday, August 30, 2005 2:16 PM
Foreword
As with all natural sciences, the aim of soil science is to understand the func-
tioning of the natural world, in this case the soil. Soil scientists want to be able
to explain how soil has been formed, how it evolves, how it interacts with the
other geospheres, and how and why it varies in space and time. To answer these
fundamental questions, pedologists have developed a mental model of how soils
are formed from their parent material in a particular climate over time. This
mental model entails a system of relationships that describe how geology and
climate interact with tectonics and geomorphology, by erosion, sedimentation,
surface and subsurface flow, infiltration, weathering, soil–plant interaction,
organic matter decomposition, pedoturbation, and so on. Under the influence of
all these processes, a soil-landscape emerges and evolves.
The development of a model of soil-landscape formation is a major under-
taking. The first efforts date back to more than a century ago, when the Russian
pedologist V.V. Dokuchaev introduced the state factor equation. Since then, many
extensions and refinements to the original formulation have been made, but none
of these justify the claim that the mental model of soil-landscape formation has
been made operational. The pedological literature presents us with quasi-mathe-
matical equations in which the soil is represented as a function of the soil-forming
factors, but the details of this function have only partially been revealed. We may
know how the various processes work in principle; we may know whether feed-
backs in the system are positive, negative, or absent; we may know the relative
importance of the various processes in a given situation; but all of this knowledge
is only available in a conceptual or descriptive form. So far, we have not succeeded
in building a generic, quantitative, reproducible model that predicts the soil from
its controlling factors in a satisfactory way.
Why have we not managed to do so? First and foremost, this is because the
soil-landscape system is extremely complex. We do not yet sufficiently under-
stand some of the mechanisms involved in soil-landscape formation and devel-
opment. We also lack the means to observe the soil with sufficient resolution
and accuracy. Finally, we have long lacked the tools and computational power
to construct and apply detailed, high-resolution, quantitative soil-landscape mod-
els. However, recent developments in soil science and other disciplines have
enabled us to overcome many of these impediments. For example, many inno-
vative measurement techniques have been developed that allow us to observe the
behavior of the soil in a way that was not previously possible. These techniques
include spectromicroscopy, microarray technology, dielectric methods, and dif-
fuse reflectance spectroscopy. Computational power continues to double every
18 months. Geographic information systems continue to extend their function-
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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ality with new capabilities, such as three-dimensional visualization and spatially
distributed dynamic modeling. Also, many new mathematical and statistical
analysis and modeling approaches have appeared from which the development
of predictive soil-landscape models can benefit greatly. Examples are spatial
stochastic simulation, wavelets, multiscale modeling, and space–time geostatis-
tics. Many of these techniques are being developed in an active subdiscipline of
soil science known as pedometrics, which may be characterized as the part of
soil science that aims to develop and apply mathematical and statistical methods
for the study of the distribution and genesis of soils.
These are exciting times for soil science. Many developments are taking place
on numerous fronts. These developments are relevant to soil-landscape modeling
and yield favorable conditions for true progress in soil-landscape modeling. But
how do we keep track of the many developments and their potential for soil-
landscape modeling? This book provides a solution.
This book presents the latest methodological developments in soil-landscape
modeling. It provides a cross-section of many recently developed measurement
tools, as well as computer-related and pedometric techniques that are instrumental
for soil-landscape modeling. It also contains in-depth reviews of the history of
soil-landscape modeling, thus presenting views from soil geography, soil genesis,
and soil geomorphology. I consider this one of the strong points of this book.
Quantitative soil-landscape modeling will only be successful if it is a joint venture
between various disciplines within soil science, notably soil geography, soil
genesis, and pedometrics. It is reassuring to see work from reputable soil scientists
with such diverse backgrounds in soil science united in this book.
The editor is not only very experienced in environmental soil-landscape
modeling, but she also has a clear overview of the entire field. Through her choice
of authors and subjects, Sabine Grunwald has created a comprehensive and well-
balanced book. I am confident that it will be a stimulus and source of inspiration
for all soil scientists working on the development of an operational model of soil-
landscape evolution.
Gerard B.M. Heuvelink
Wageningen
© 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
