Development of calibration algorithms for selected water content reflectometry probes for burned and non‐burned organic soils of Alaska
Laura L. Bourgeau‐Chavez A D , Gordon C. Garwood B , Kevin Riordan C , Benjamin W. Koziol A and James Slawski CA Michigan Technological University, Michigan Technological Research Institute, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA.
B Arbor Consulting, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA.
C General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA.
D Corresponding author. Email: lchavez@mtu.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 19(7) 961-975 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF07175
Submitted: 17 December 2007 Accepted: 21 March 2010 Published: 5 November 2010
Abstract
Water content reflectometry is a method used by many commercial manufacturers of affordable sensors to electronically estimate soil moisture content. Field‐deployable and handheld water content reflectometry probes were used in a variety of organic soil‐profile types in Alaska. These probes were calibrated using 65 organic soil samples harvested from these burned and unburned, primarily moss‐dominated sites in the boreal forest. Probe output was compared with gravimetrically measured volumetric moisture content, to produce calibration algorithms for surface‐down‐inserted handheld probes in specific soil‐profile types, as well as field‐deployable horizontally inserted probes in specific organic soil horizons. General organic algorithms for each probe type were also developed. Calibrations are statistically compared to determine their suitability. The resulting calibrations showed good agreement with in situ validation and varied from the default mineral‐soil‐based calibrations by 20% or more. These results are of particular interest to researchers measuring soil moisture content with water content reflectometry probes in soils with high organic content.
Additional keywords: aspen, black spruce, duff, feather moss, fire‐disturbed soils, soil moisture, sphagnum moss, TDR, water content reflectometers, WCR, white spruce.
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