Geomorphometry: Concepts, Software, Applications » (New Edition)

Geomorphometry is the science of quantitative land-surface analysis. It draws upon mathematical, statistical, and image-processing techniques to quantify the shape of earth's topography at various spatial scales. The focus of geomorphometry is the calculation of surface-form measures (land-surface parameters) and features (objects), which may be used to improve the mapping and modelling of landforms to assist in the evaluation of soils, vegetation, land use, natural hazards, and other information.

This book provides a practical guide to preparing Digital Elevation Models (DEM) for analysis and extracting land-surface parameters and objects from DEMs through a variety of software. It further offers detailed instructions on applying parameters and objects in soil, agricultural, environmental and earth sciences. This is a manual of state-of-the-art methods to serve the various researchers who use geomorphometry.

Soil scientists will use this book to further learn the methods for classifying and measuring the chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils and gain a further understaing of the role of soil as a natural resource. Geologists will find value in the instruction this book provides for measuring the physical features of the soil such as elevation, porosity, and structure which geologists use to predict natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and flooding.

• Technical details on a variety of software packages allow researchers to solve real-life mapping issues

• Provides soil and agronomy researchers best practice techniques for soil data analysis to assist in enhanced land-use and planning

• Offers geologists essential tactics for better environmental management by providing a comprehensive analysis of the physical features of soil

• Companion website includes access to the latest technological advancements previously unpublished in any other comprehensive source: geomorphometry software, DEM data sources, and applications

Authors xiii

Co-authors xxi

Foreword xxiii

I Concepts 1

1 Geomorphometry: A Brief Guide R.J. Pike I.S. Evans T. Hengl 3

1 What is geomorphometry? 3

2 The basic principles of geomorphometry 6

3 The history of geomorphometry 12

4 Geomorphometry today 24

5 The "Baranja Hill" case study 26

6 Summary points 29

Important sources 30

2 Mathematical and Digital Models of the Land Surface T. Hengl I.S. Evans 31

1 Conceptual models of the land surface 31

2 Digital models of the land surface 39

3 The sampling, generation and analysis of land surfaces 48

4 Summary points 62

Important sources 63

3 DEM Production Methods and Sources A. Nelson H.I. Reuter P. Gessler 65

1 Ground survey techniques 65

2 Remote sensing sources 71

3 Frequently-used remote-sensing based DEM products 75

4 Summary points 82

Important sources 85

4 Preparation of DEMs for Geomorphometric Analysis H.I. Reuter T. Hengl P. Gessler P. Soille 87

1 Introduction 87

2 Reducing errors in DEMs 96

3 Reduction of errors in parameters and objects 111

4 Summary 117

Important sources 120

5 Geostatistical Simulation and Error Propagation in Geomorphometry A.J.A.M. Temme G.B.M. Heuvelink J.M. Schoorl L. Claessens 121

1 Uncertainty in DEMs 121

2 Geostatistical modelling of DEM errors 123

3 Methods for error propagation analysis 125

4 Error propagation: Baranja Hill 127

5 Summary points 138

Important sources 139

6 Basic Land-Surface Parameters V. Olaya 141

1 Introduction 141

2 Local land-surface parameters 142

3 Regional land-surface parameters 163

4 Summary points 168

Important sources 169

7 Land-Surface Parameters and Objects in Hydrology S. Gruber S.Peckham 171

1 Hydrological modelling 171

2 Flow direction and aspect 172

3 Flow algorithms 176

4 Contributing area/flow accumulation 182

5 Land-surface parameters based on catchment area 185

6 Land-surface objects based on flow-variables 188

7 Deposition function 191

8 Flow modelling using TIN-based elevation models 193

9 Summary points 194

Important sources 194

8 Land-Surface Parameters Specific to Topo-Climatology J. Bohner O. Antonic 195

1 Land surface and climate 195

2 Climate regionalisation approaches 197

3 Topographic radiation 198

4 Topographic temperature 211

5 Topographic precipitation 219

6 Topographic exposure to wind 222

7 Summary points 225

Important sources 225

9 Landforms and Landform Elements in Geomorphometry R.A. MacMillan P.A. Shary 227

1 Geomorphology, landforms and geomorphometry 227

2 Approaches to landform classification 233

3 Extracting and classifying specific landform elements 237

4 Extracting and classifying repeating landform types 244

5 Implementing extraction of landforms 251

6 Summary points 252

Important sources 254

II Software 255

10 Overview of Software Packages Used in Geomorphometry J. Wood 257

1 Introduction 257

2 The software landscape 257

3 Approaches to using software 260

4 Other packages for geomorphometry 261

5 The future of geomorphometry software 264

Important sources 266

11 Geomorphometry in ESRI Packages H.I. Reuter A. Nelson 269

1 Getting started 269

2 DEM preparation 273

3 Extraction of land-surface parameters and objects 278

4 Arc scripts 283

5 Summary points and future direction 290

Important sources 291

12 Geomorphometry in SAGA V. Olaya O. Conrad 293

1 Getting started 293

2 DEM preparation 298

3 Derivation of land-surface parameters 300

4 Summary points 307

Important sources 308

13 Geomorphometry in ILWIS T. Hengl B.H.P. Maathuis L. Wang 309

1 About ILWIS 309

2 Importing and deriving DEMs 313

3 Deriving parameters and objects 318

4 Summary points and future direction 329

Important sources 331

14 Geomorphometry in LandSerf J. Wood 333

1 Introduction 333

2 Visualisation of land-surface parameters and objects 338

3 Scripting with LandSerf 342

4 Summary points and future direction 348

Important sources 349

15 Geomorphometry in MicroDEM P. Guth 351

1 Introduction 351

2 Geomorphometric analysis in MicroDEM 354

3 Summary points and future direction 366

Important sources 366

16 Geomorphometry in TAS GIS J.B. Lindsay 367

1 Getting started 367

2 Geomorphometric analysis 370

3 Summary 384

Important sources 386

17 Geomorphometry in GRASS GIS J. Hofierka H. Mitasova M. Neteler 387

1 Getting started 387

2 Deriving land-surface parameters 393

3 Limitations of GRASS 409

4 Summary points and future direction 410

Important sources 410

18 Geomorphometry in RiverTools S.D. Peckham 411

1 Getting started 411

2 Advanced GIS functionality 413

3 Preparing DEMs for a study area 414

4 Extracting land-surface parameters and objects from DEMs 417

5 Visualisation tools 425

6 Summary points 429

Important sources 430

III Applications 431

19 Geomorphometry - A Key to Landscape Mapping and Modelling T. Hengl R.A. MacMillan 433

1 Importance of DEMs 433

2 Predictive modelling of environmental variables 437

3 Summary points 459

Important sources 460

20 Soil Mapping Applications E. Dobos T. Hengl 461

1 Soils and mapping of soils 461

2 Topography and soils 465

3 Case study 471

4 Summary points 475

Important sources 479

21 Vegetation Mapping Applications S.D. Jelaska 481

1 Mapping vegetation 481

2 Case study 487

3 Summary points 494

Important sources 496

22 Applications in Geomorphology I.S. Evans T. Hengl P. Gorsevski 497

1 Geomorphological mapping from DEMs 497

2 Geomorphometry in theories of fluvial and glacial erosion 498

3 Geomorphological change 504

4 Extraction of specific landforms 507

5 Case study 511

6 Summary points 522

Important sources 525

23 Modelling Mass Movements and Landslide Susceptibility S. Gruber C. Huggel R. Pike 527

1 Introduction 527

2 Modelling the propagation of mass: the affected area and deposition 528

3 Modelling landslide susceptibility 539

4 Summary points 548

Important sources 549

24 Automated Predictive Mapping of Ecological Entities R.A. MacMillan A. Torregrosa D. Moon R. Coupe N. Philips 551

1 Introduction 551

2 Case study: predictive ecosystem mapping 556

3 Results 571

4 Summary points 577

Acknowledgements 578

Important sources 578

25 Geomorphometry and Spatial Hydrologic Modelling S.D. Peckham 579

1 Introduction 579

2 Spatial hydrologic modelling: processes and methods 581

3 Scale issues in spatial hydrologic models 591

4 Preprocessing tools for spatial hydrologic models 593

5 Case study: hydrologic response of north basin, Baranja Hill 595

6 Summary points 601

Important sources 602

26 Applications in Meteorology S. Emeis H.R. Knoche 603

1 Meteorology and topography 603

2 Sources for topographic variables in meteorological models 611

3 Case studies 612

4 Summary points 620

Important sources 621

27 Applications in Precision Agriculture H.I. Reuter K.-C. Kersebaum 623

1 Introduction 623

2 Precision Agriculture applications 625

3 Summary points 635

Acknowledgements 635

Important sources 636

28 The Future of Geomorphometry P. Gessler R. Pike R.A. MacMillan T. Hengl H.I. Reuter 637

1 Peering into a crystal ball 637

2 Concepts 638

3 DEM data: demand and supply 639

4 Exploiting LiDAR 641

5 Morphometric tools 643

6 Approaches and objectives 645

7 Applications to come 646

8 A geomorphometric atlas of the World 648

9 Closing remarks 651

Bibliography 653

Index 695

Colour Plate Section 707