Soil Characterization and Modeling of Spatial Distribution of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity at Two Sites in the Volta Basin of Ghana
Soil Characterization and Modeling of Spatial Distribution of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity at Two Sites in the Volta Basin of Ghana

Author: Wilson Agyei Agyare

Publisher: Cuvillier Verlag

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 3865371000

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One of the key parameters in hydrological and climate change modeling is a good estimation of the soil hydrauic properties in the region of interest. This study investigates the spatial distribution and variability of soil physical properties, with emphasis on saturated hydraulic conductivity at two pilot sites in the Volta Basin of Ghana. It focuses on the potential of pedotransfer functions (PTFs) and artificial neural network (ANN) approach for estimating saturated hydraulic conductivity. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was observed to be highly spatially variable; however, it can be estimated using selected PTFs and ANN for soils in the Volta Basin based on soil parameters that can readily be obtained from detailed soil maps--From cover.

The Spatial Distribution of Soil Salinity
The Spatial Distribution of Soil Salinity

Author: Akmal Akramkhanov

Publisher: Cuvillier Verlag

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 139

ISBN-13: 3865376541

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Soils of irrigated lands in the Aral Sea Basin are often plagued by high salinity,hampering profitable agriculture on these soils. In this context, the present study has three specific objectives: to identify techniques that enable a rapid estimation of soil salinity, to characterize its spatial distribution and to estimate its spatial distribution based on readily obtainable environmental parametersusing a Neural Network Model Approach. Topsoil salinity was highly variable atshort distances and terrain attributes were the most influential factors. The use of relationships between environmental attributes and soil salinity for upscaling spatial distribution of soil salinity from farm to district level proved to be satisfactory. A possible application is the development of salinity prediction toolsfor farm-level decision making.

Ecophysiological Diversity of Wild Arabica Coffee Populations in Ethiopia
Ecophysiological Diversity of Wild Arabica Coffee Populations in Ethiopia

Author: Taye Kufa Obso

Publisher: Cuvillier Verlag

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 331

ISBN-13: 386727990X

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Coffea arabica, one of the economically most important crops worldwide, occurs naturally in the undergrowth of montane rainforests of Ethiopia. The study provides the first detailed ecophysiological investigations of wild coffee populations. It demonstrates the inter- and intra-regional variability in phenotypic and hydrological characteristics of wild coffee. The results reveal very different strategies of wild coffee seedlings for coping with drought stress. The ecophysiological diversity shows the importance of Ethiopian wild coffee populations as gene pools for future breeding programs, and underlines the need for an in-situ conservation strategy. The study includes recommendations for coffee forest management and the use of wild arabica coffee in Ethiopia.