The use of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for in situ carbon and nitrogen analysis of pastoral soils
Bambang H. Kusumo A C E , C. B. Hedley A B , M. J. Hedley A , A. Hueni D , M. P. Tuohy A and G. C. Arnold A BA Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
B Landcare Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
C Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mataram, Lombok, Indonesia.
D Remote Sensing Laboratories, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
E Corresponding author. Email: B.H.Kusumo@massey.ac.nz; bambanghk@gmail.com
Australian Journal of Soil Research 46(7) 623-635 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR08118
Submitted: 27 November 2007 Accepted: 1 July 2008 Published: 8 October 2008
Abstract
A field method has been developed for rapid in situ assessment of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content using a portable spectroradiometer (ASD FieldSpecPro). The technique was evaluated at 7 field sites in permanent pasture, and in 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year pine-to-pasture conversions on Pumice, Allophanic, and Tephric Recent Soils in the Taupo and Rotorua region of New Zealand. A total of 210 samples were collected from 2 depths: 37.5 and 112.5 mm. Field measurement of diffuse spectral reflectance was recorded from a flat sectioned horizontal soil surface of a soil core using a purpose-built contact probe attached by fibre optic cable to the spectroradiometer. A 15-mm soil slice was collected from each cut surface for analysis of total C and N using a LECO Analyser. Soils had a wide range of total C and N (0.26–11.21% C, 0.02–1.01% N). Partial least-squares regression analysis was used to develop calibration models between smoothed-first derivative 5-nm-spaced spectral data and LECO-measured total C and N. The models successfully predicted total C and N in the validation sets with the best prediction for C (RPD 2.01, r2 0.75, RMSEP 1.21%) and N (RPD 2.66, r2 0.86, RMSEP 0.07%). Prediction accuracy using different selection methods of calibration and validation set is reported. This study indicates that in situ assessment of soil C and N by field spectroscopy has considerable potential for spatially rapid measurement of soil C and N in the landscape.
Additional keywords: near infrared, soil, carbon, nitrogen, pasture, soil monitoring, in situ measurement, soil core.
Acknowledgments
This work was made possible by funding support from Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Massey University, New Zealand. Ted Pinkney manufactured the prototype soil probe.
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