Papers by Wilfried Hierold
EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2015
Geomorphology, Oct 1, 2017
Erosion processes, aggravated by human activity, have a large impact on the spatial variation of ... more Erosion processes, aggravated by human activity, have a large impact on the spatial variation of soil and topographic properties. Knowledge of the topography prior to human-induced erosion (paleotopography) in naturally stable landscapes is valuable for identifying vulnerable landscape positions and is required as starting point for erosion modelling exercises. However, developing accurate reconstructions of paleotopography provide a major challenge for geomorphologists. Here, we present a set of paleotopographies for a closed kettle hole catchment in northeast Germany (4 ha), obtained through different reconstruction approaches. Current soil and colluvium thickness, estimated from a dataset of 264 soil descriptions using Ordinary Kriging, were used as input for a mass balance, or were compared with a set of undisturbed soil thicknesses to estimate the amount of erosion. The performance of the different approaches was assessed with cross-validation and the count of mispredicted eroded, depositional or stable landscape positions. The paleotopographic reconstruction approach based on the average thickness of undisturbed soils in the study area showed the best performance. This thickness (1.00 m) is comparable to the average undisturbed soil thickness in the region and in line with global correlations of soil thickness as a function of rainfall and initial CaCO 3 content. The performance of the different approaches depended more on mispredictions of landscape position due to the assumption of a spatially constant initial soil depth than on small variations in this depth. To conclude, we mention several methodological and practical points of attention for future topography reconstruction studies, concerning data quality and availability, spatial configuration of data and other processes affecting topography.
Vadose Zone Journal, Sep 13, 2013
Soilscapes of the post-glacial morainic regions of the youngest glaciation are characterized by s... more Soilscapes of the post-glacial morainic regions of the youngest glaciation are characterized by small hydrological kettle hole catchments forming hummocky soil landscapes. The spatial heterogeneity of subsurface structures as well as erosion-controlled pedogenesis under arable land use may complicate hydrological modeling. Our aim was to generate a soil landscape model for a small representative kettle hole catchment based on geoelectrical exploration and soil profile information. For a 1-ha catchment located in the northeastern German lowlands near the town of Prenzlau, electrical resistivity transects were determined by a multi electrode system (IMPETUS 12 Fs) and electrical conductivity (ECa) was mapped by using the electromagnetic induction (EMI) device EM38DD in both the vertical and horizontal modes. The 1-m digital elevation model (DEM) was obtained by kriging from high resolution manual elevation data determined with a leveling device (ZEISS Ni 40). Soil profile data from 26 boreholes distributed radially around the central pond were used to identify boundaries between soil horizons. The soil is characterized by varying topography and morphology of diagnostic horizons such as M-(colluvium), Bt-(clay illuviation), and C-(parent glacial till). By EMI mapping we identified (i) the boundary between erosive and colluvial areas around the kettle hole, and modeled (ii) the subsurface morphology of loamy horizons. Electrical resistivity tomography results coincide with these findings and allow for distinguishing between sandy and loamy dominated areas both in vertical and horizontal direction, respectively. This soil model of soil textural properties could be used for hydrological modeling.
Long-Term Field Experiments (LTEs) are agricultural infrastructures for studying the long-term ef... more Long-Term Field Experiments (LTEs) are agricultural infrastructures for studying the long-term effects of different management practices and soil and crop properties in changing climate conditions. These experiments are essential to examine the impact of management and environment on crop production and soil resources on different soil textures and types. Some of those LTEs have average times of 20-50 years, even more than 100 years. These infrastructures are thus scientific heritages with high values of agricultural data; however, LTE-related information was difficult to find since it was scattered. To close this gap, we developed a geospatial data infrastructure, including an LTE overview map to compile and analyze the meta-information of the LTEs across Europe. The map provides a spatial representation of LTEs and the meta-information collected by extensive literature review and factsheets clustered in different categories (management operations, land use, duration, status, etc.) (BonaRes 2021; Grosse et al. 2021; Donmez et al., 2022). A threshold filter with a minimum duration of 20 years was applied, which results in a total of 500 LTEs across Europe and included into the map. The clusters of LTEs were geospatially analyzed to provide inputs for the agricultural sector, scientists, farmers and policy-makers. The fertilization treatment was the major research theme of collected and studied LTEs, followed by crop rotation and tillage trials. Bringing the meta information of dispersed LTEs through the development of the LTE overview map is expected to help developing a mutual management framework of efficient agricultural production by revealing the LTE potential internationally. This will contribute to scaling up the agricultural practices from site to landscape level for increasing the climate change adaptation to agricultural yield and management.
<p>Long-Term Field Experiments (LTEs) are agricultural experiments for moni... more <p>Long-Term Field Experiments (LTEs) are agricultural experiments for monitoring soil and crop properties in changing climate conditions and different management practices. These trials were set up on various soil textures and types to reveal the effects of management and environment on crop production and soil resources. Although the LTEs are essential infrastructures for sustainable soil yield and use, LTE-related information was dispersed, thus not easy to find. To close this research gap, we compiled and analyzed the meta-information of the LTEs across Europe and their spatial representation in a geospatial data infrastructure, including a data repository and an LTE overview map developed within the framework of the BonaRes project (BonaRes 2021; Grosse et al. 2021). During the research, LTEs with a minimum duration of 20 years were identified, and the meta-information was collected by extensive literature review and factsheets. In total, 405 LTEs in Europe were identified, clustered in different categories (management operations, land use, duration, status, etc.), and these clusters were geospatially analysed to provide inputs for the agricultural industry, scientists and decision-makers. LTEs from 25 countries were utilized including Germany, where the oldest LTE started in 1843. The majority of the LTEs have the fertilization treatment, followed by crop rotation and tillage. The results will help to develop a mutual agricultural management framework by revealing the LTE potential internationally. The geospatial data structure will contribute to scaling up the management practices from site to landscape-level for increasing the adaptation of agricultural systems to climate change.</p><p><strong>Key Words:</strong> Long-Term Field Experiments, BonaRes, Europe, soil science, GIS.</p><p>References</p><p>BonaRes (2021). Long-term Experiments in Europe. Overview of long-term Experiments. https://lte.bonares.de</p><p>Grosse, M., Ahlborn, M.C., Hierold, W. (2021). Metadata of agricultural long-term experiments in Europe exclusive of Germany. Data in Brief 38, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107322</p><p> </p>
EGUGA, Apr 1, 2015
ABSTRACT Mapping the current state of soil landscapes requires strategic sampling, which has impl... more ABSTRACT Mapping the current state of soil landscapes requires strategic sampling, which has implications for capturing variation and for cost. Addressing issues of sustainability requires soil mapping at the landscape scale. Such an endeavor, however, needs to consider relationships between sampling scale, representation of spatial variation, and accuracy of estimated error. Also, the importance of extending information from sampled points increases with larger map extents due to limitations in practical sampling density. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine the ability of different spatial models to predict a soil property for a range of scales and for areas beyond the sampling extent. The respective spatial modelling methods were tested on sample sets taken at two different scales and independently validated on samples taken at three different scales. Each spatial modelling method produced a similar, but unique, map of soil organic carbon content in the topsoil. Kriging approaches excelled at internal spatial prediction, particularly with more densely spaced sample points. Because kriging depends on spatial autocorrelation, kriging performance was naturally poor in areas of spatial extrapolation. In contrast, the spatial regression approach tested could continue to perform well in spatial extrapolation areas depending on the covariates used. In this case, the problem of induction allowed for the potential of problems in some areas, which was less predictable. Spatial regression approaches have the ability to map soil properties at the landscape scale at a high resolution, but are highly dependent on the inclusion of the full feature space in the calibration of the model and the availability of transferable covariates.
EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2017
EGUGA, Apr 1, 2018
BonaRes goals to extend the scientific understanding of soil ecosystems to secure and, if pos... more BonaRes goals to extend the scientific understanding of soil ecosystems to secure and, if possible, increase the productivity and profitability of soil in the long term to develop new strategies for a sustainable use and management of soils
Archiv für Acker- und Pflanzenbau und Bodenkunde, 1990
Data in Brief, Oct 1, 2021
Agricultural long-term experiments (LTEs) are an important research infrastructure for agricultur... more Agricultural long-term experiments (LTEs) are an important research infrastructure for agriculture, plant and soil sciences. The aim of this metadata compilation is to make LTEs easier to find and to facilitate networking. LTEs are here defined as agricultural experiments with a minimum duration of 20 years and research in the context of soil and yield. An extensive literature review was conducted to identify LTEs in Europe exclusive of Germany, because Germany's LTEs were published before. Sources were scientific papers as well as other articles, books, trial guides and websites. The following information was searched for and compiled in this dataset, if available: site and name of the LTE, start and end (if appropriate), holding institution, type of land use (e.g. field crops or grassland), research theme, website (if available), participation in networks, measured parameters, farming category (i.e. conventional or organic), size of the LTE area, longitude and latitude of the LTE, experimental setup including factors, treatments, randomization and replication, number of plots, size of the plots, crop rotation, soil type, substrate, texture, literature which was written in the context of the LTE data, and AGROVOC keywords. LTE from the following countries are included: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine. In total, 186 LTEs could be identified. The LTEs were classified according to the following research themes: fertilization, tillage, crop rotation, other. The majority of LTEs have the research theme “fertilization” (n = 125). Thirty LTEs have the research theme “crop rotation”, 26 LTEs have the research theme “tillage”, and 26 LTEs have “other” research themes. The following networks could be identified: GLTEN (Global long-term experiment network), ILTER (International long-term ecological research), IOSDV (International Organic Nitrogen Fertilization Experiment), NLFT (National Long-term Fertilization Trials, Hungary), RetiBio 2 (Italy). The oldest LTE was set up 1843, but the largest number of LTEs was established in the second half of the 20th century. Most of the LTEs are held by a scientific institution, i.e. 88 LTEs are held by a non-university scientific institution and 81 LTEs are held by a university or university of applied sciences. The link to the holding institution is provided whenever possible to facilitate contacting.
Catena, Nov 1, 2019
Soil landscape research is faced with wide-ranging questions of soil erosion, precision farming, ... more Soil landscape research is faced with wide-ranging questions of soil erosion, precision farming, and agricultural risk management. Digital Soil Morphometrics is a powerful tool to provide respective answers or recommendations but requires soil data from the pedon-to-field scale with high horizontal and vertical resolutions, including the subsoil. We present an efficient sampling and measurement method for easily obtainable soil driving cores with low-destructive preparation. Elemental contents and soil organic and mineral matter composition were measured rapidly and in large numbers using a multi-sensor approach, i.e., visible and nearinfrared (Vis-NIR), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The suitability of the approach with respect to three-dimensional soil landscape models was tested using soils along a slope representing different stages of erosion and deposition in a hummocky landscape under arable land use (Calcaric Regosols, Calcic Luvisols, Luvic Stagnosols, Gleyic-Colluvic Regosols). The combination of soil core sampling, pedological description, and three spectroscopic techniques enabled rapid determination and interpretation of horizontal and vertical spatial distributions of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil organic and mineral matter composition, as well as CaCO 3 , Fe, and Mn contents. Depth profiles for SOC, CaCO 3 , and Fe contents were suitable indicators for site-specific degrees of erosion and matter transport processes at the pedonto-field scale. Fe and Mn profiles helped identifying zones of reductive and oxic domains in subsoils (gleyzation). Further methodical developments should implement plant-availability of nutrients, characterization of Feoxides, and calibration of the spectroscopic techniques to field-moist samples.
Soil Science Society of America Journal, Sep 1, 2015
All Reights reserved. spatial Modeling of organic carbon in degraded Peatland soils of northeast ... more All Reights reserved. spatial Modeling of organic carbon in degraded Peatland soils of northeast Germany Wetland Soils spatial variation of c stocks within peatlands is an overall challenge for monitoring global c cycle processes, which is critical for responding to climate change induced by greenhouse gases (GHGs). the objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of high-resolution, minimally invasive sensor data to predict spatial variation of soil organic c (soc) stocks within highly degraded peatland soils in northeast Germany. within the rhin-Havelluch, a paludification mire that has been cultivated and drained for about 300 yr, seven fields were sampled by soil cores up to 2 m in depth, nine points for each field. soil horizons were examined for dry bulk density, soil organic c content (soc c), and thickness to calculate soc stocks and to test for relationships with overall peat thickness, elevation, and electrical conductivity (eca). elevation was determined by light detection and ranging (lidar) and eca by an eM38dd, both producing maps of high resolution (1 m). soil organic c density (soc d) was related to elevation, eca, and peat thickness. Based on these relationships, maps of soc d were produced. within field variation of soc d was high, which could be modeled by use of the covariate maps. if available, eca maps can improve the prediction of soc d based on elevation. Modeling peat thickness based on sensor data needs additional research, but seems to be a valuable covariate in digital soil mapping.
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Mar 1, 2006
Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, Aug 1, 2005
This study derives grassland communities from site, climate and land use characteristics, allowin... more This study derives grassland communities from site, climate and land use characteristics, allowing yield estimation within the framework of model scenarios. Based on the dominant species, about 450 relevés, primarily of extensively used grassland from four regions of the NorthEast German lowlands, were classified into vegetation types using a cluster analysis. These types were then reclassified to known phytosociological communities. The relationship between the vegetational composition and the abiotic explanatory variables were verified by a discriminant analysis. The water supply level proved to be the most important factor influencing grassland vegetation. The impact of historical land use (especially the persistence of formerly sown species) reduced prognostic quality.
Data in Brief, Jun 1, 2022
Bodenschutz, May 16, 2016
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Papers by Wilfried Hierold