IngentaConnect Assessment and monitoring of soil quality using near-infrared ref...

Authors: Cécillon, L.; Barthès, B. G.¹; Gomez, C.²; Ertlen, D.³; Genot, V.⁴; Hedde, M.⁵; Stevens, A.⁶; Brun, J. J.⁷

Source: European Journal of Soil Science, Volume 60, Number 5, October 2009 , pp. 770-784(15)

Abstract:

Summary

Soil degradation processes have dramatically increased in their extent and intensity over the last decades. Progressively, actions have been taken in order to evaluate and reduce the major threats that have already wreaked havoc on soil conditions. Efficient and standardized monitoring of soil conditions is thus required but soil quality research is facing an important technological challenge because of the number of properties involved in soil quality. The objective of the present review is to examine critically the suitability of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) as a tool for soil quality assessment. We first detail the soil quality-related parameters (chemical, physical and biological) that can be predicted with NIRS through laboratory measurements. The ability of imaging NIRS (airborne or satellite) for mapping a minimum data set of soil quality is also discussed. Then we review the most recent research using soil reflectance spectra as an integrated measure of soil quality, from global site classification to the prediction of specific soil quality indices. We conclude that imaging NIRS enables the direct mapping of some soil properties and soil threats, but that further developments to solve several technological limitations identified are needed before it can be used for soil quality assessment. The robustness of laboratory NIRS for soil quality assessment allows its implementation in soil monitoring networks. However, its routine use requires the development of international soil spectral libraries that should become a priority for soil quality research.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2389.2009.01178.x

Affiliations: 1: IRD-SeqBio, Montpellier SupAgro, bât. 12, 2 place Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 1, France 2: IRD, UMR-LISAH, Montpellier SupAgro, bât. 24, 2 place Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 1, France 3: CNRS/Université Louis Pasteur, Laboratoire Image et Ville, 3 rue de l'Argonne, 67000 Strasbourg, France 4: Gembloux Agricultural University (FUSAGx), Soil-Ecology-Land Development Department, Laboratory of Soil Science, Gembloux, Belgium 5: INRA, UR 251 PESSAC, RD 10, 78026 Versailles, France 6: Département de Géographie, Université Catholique de Louvain, 3 place Pasteur, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium 7: Cemagref Grenoble, Mountain Ecosystems Research Unit, 2 rue de la Papeterie, BP 76, 38402 Saint Martin d'Hères, France

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Assessment and monitoring of soil quality using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS)