Investigating the Relationship Between Changes in Leaf Area Index and Soil Moisture Using Remote Sensing and Field Studies: A Case Study of the Beheshtabad Watershed

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 ,Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Khorramabad, Iran

2 Faculty of Natural Resources and Earth Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Irand

3 Department of Nature engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources and Earth sciences, University of Kashan

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between Leaf Area Index and soil moisture in the Beheshtabad watershed through field sampling, MODIS imagery, and black-box modeling based on various factors. For this purpose, climate data such as rainfall, evaporation, transpiration, number of rainy days, and temperature were collected from 2003 to 2015 in this watershed. Additionally, to determine the physical characteristics of the area and prepare maps of soil moisture, data on soil texture, land use, topography, geology, Digital Elevation Model, and drainage network were gathered. During the field visits in 2016 and 2017, data on soil moisture, Leaf Area Index, and vegetation characteristics were collected for the land use in the area. The findings indicate that vegetation cover requires time to respond to changes in soil moisture, with a developmental delay of approximately four months observed in the study area (coefficient of determination = 0.69). Land use, slope, and soil texture separation factors have differing impacts on the relationship between Leaf Area Index and soil moisture, which is nonlinear. This study highlights the importance of understanding the reciprocal effects between environmental factors and vegetation cover for water and soil resource management.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Journal of Ecohydrology
Volume 11, Issue 2
June 2024
Pages 207-222

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History

  • Receive Date: 06 April 2024
  • Revise Date: 11 May 2024
  • Accept Date: 12 June 2024
  • First Publish Date: 21 June 2024
  • Publish Date: 21 June 2024

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