Geomorphometry

Geomorphometry, Conceps, Software, Applications

Edited by: Tomi Hengl & Hannes Reuter

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 understating of the role of soil as a natural resource.

See the book’s website: http://www.geomorphometry.org/

Contents

I – Concepts
Geomorphometry: a brief guide Mathematical and digital models of the land surface DEM production methods and sources Preparation of DEMs for geomorphometric analysis Geostatistical simulation and error propagation in geomorphometry Basic land-surface parameters Land-surface parameters and objects in hydrology Land-surface parameters specific to topo-climatology Landforms and landform elements in geomorphometry

II – Software
Overview of software packages used in geomorphometry Geomorphometry in ESRI packages Geomorphometry in SAGA Geomorphometry in ILWIS Geomorphometry in LandSerf Geomorphometry in MicroDEM Geomorphometry in TAS GIS Geomorphometry in GRASS GIS Geomorphometry in RiverTools

III – Applications
Geomorphometry – a key to landscape mapping and modelling Soil mapping applications Vegetation mapping applications Geomorphometry and spatial hydrologic modelling Applications in meteorology Applications in geomorphology Applications in Precision Agriculture Modelling mass movements and landslide susceptibility Automated predictive mapping of ecological entities The future of geomorphometry