I have time series data that I collected on soil moisture using sensors deployed at 27 sites, with data logged every 15 minutes. I am wondering if there are well defined metrics to quantify the intensity and duration of drought stress over the whole season. I could do mean soil moisture but this would not take into account the variability of the data and seems like it would be wasting the high resolution data that we have. I really want to know how often soil moisture dipped so low that it could impede plant and microbial activity. Thanks!
Hi Jake Nash
Have you tried wavelet analysis?
Here is a link to an open-source software written in both MATLAB and Python:
Article JUST: MATLAB and python software for change detection and ti...
https://geodesy.noaa.gov/gps-toolbox/JUST.htm
You may see some of its applications here:
Article Application of the Least-Squares Wavelet Software in Hydrolo...
and
Article The Potential of the Least-Squares Spectral and Cross-Wavele...
Hope that helps you!
Best regards,
Ebrahim
You have to determine RAW(Readily available water) from TAW (Total available water) based on the moisture content at field capacity and moisture content at wilting point. Take RAW = 0.5TAW.
For baseline understanding of drought, see https://doi.org/10.1038/267192a0 and https://doi.org/10.1080/02508068508686328
Drought is generally divided as:
- Meteorological Drought-Which is an extended period of dry weather.
- Agricultural Drought-When a water shortage damage agricultural crops.
- Hydrological Drought-Low water supply in rivers, lakes, aquifers, and other reservoirs following meteorological drought.
- Socioeconomic Drought- When water shortage affects the supply and demand of drought commodities like water.
- Ecological Drought- Widespread ecological damage caused by lack of moisture.
Now, you wanted to know how soil moisture is dipping and impede plant and microbial activity.
Since soil moisture need more time to change; the 15 min measurements doesn't work. Better data is achieved either using longterm daily, weekly or Biweekly data.
Check the potential evapotranspiration (PET) index!
here you can find more details: -
Article Assessing seasonal drought variations and trends over Central Europe
Best Wishes,
Droughts are brought about by interaction between the quantity of rainfall and evapotranspiration. The amount of water required by crop and the moisture level in the soil needs to be studies. Because of clanging climate, occurrences of heat waves and prolonged dry period due to lack of rainfall is happening to cause droughts. I recommend @ Wondmyibza Tsegaye Bayou and @ Ali K. M. Al-Nasrawi. Thank you
See Journal of soil Science,v.25;pp.448-460. It describes regular measurements across the forest-prairie boundary in Southern Alberta measured for a year providing the water balance compared to precipitation and wilting point in the soil. The startling feature of the data is that only during snow melt does the soil moisture approach or cross wilting point, yet the natural vegetation and crops can grow provided that the frost-free season is long enough. You need ti know the wilting points of individual crops or plants in order to predict the outcome of attempts to farm the land.
Stuart.
https://www.un-spider.org/advisory-support/recommended-practices/recommended-practice-drought-monitoring/in-detail
I think this may be useful for you
We have worked on this issue in these manuscripts that can serve you:
Article Systematization of the calculation of the Standardized Preci...
Dear Dr Jake Nash . See the following useful RG link: Article Seasonal Drought Prediction: Advances, Challenges, and Futur...
Kindly check also the following useful RG link: Chapter Seasonal Drought Forecasting on the Example of the USA
Also check please the following very good RG link: Article Rapidly quantifying drought impacts on aid reseeding strategies
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