Organic Matter Modeling at the Landscape Scale Based on Multitemporal Soil Pattern Analysis Using RapidEye Data

Abstract

This study proposes the development of a landscape-scale multitemporal soil pattern analysis (MSPA) method for organic matter (OM) estimation using RapidEye time series data analysis and GIS spatial data modeling, which is based on the methodology of Blasch et al. The results demonstrate (i) the potential of MSPA to predict OM for single fields and field composites with varying geomorphological, topographical, and pedological backgrounds and (ii) the method conversion of MSPA from the field scale to the multi-field landscape scale. For single fields, as well as for field composites, significant correlations between OM and the soil pattern detecting first standardized principal components were found. Thus, high-quality functional OM soil maps could be produced after excluding temporal effects by applying modified MSPA analysis steps. A regional OM prediction model was developed using four representative calibration test sites. The MSPA-method conversion was realized applying the transformation parameters of the soil-pattern detection algorithm used at the four calibration test sites and the developed regional prediction model to a multi-field, multitemporal, bare soil image mosaic of all agrarian fields of the Demmin study area in Northeast Germany. Results modeled at the landscape scale were validated at an independent test site with a resulting prediction error of 1.4 OM-% for the main OM value range of the Demmin study area.

Keywords

• organic matter
• agriculture
• soil pattern
• bare soil
• multitemporal
• RapidEye