Book chapter
Lessons in New Measurement Technologies: From Instrumenting Trees to the Trans-African Hydrometeorological Observatory
Forest-Water Interactions, pp.131-144
Ecological Studies, Springer International Publishing
02/06/2020
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-26086-6_6
Abstract
Ecohydrological monitoring technology is experiencing unprecedented expansion in capacity at ever lower costs. This allows for monitoring of systems at new scales spatially and allows for completely new strategies in observation. To represent the scale of this transformation, we present the framework for establishing a novel ecohydrological observation platform across the African continent (addressing the transformative opportunities made possible by wide-scale GPRS communication systems combined with solid-state sensing technology), as well as a strategy to leverage newly available accelerometer systems to monitor the dynamics of aboveground tree mass. The African observations are organized under the Trans-African Hydrometeorological Observatory (TAHMO.org), currently with about 500 installed stations across 20 African countries. Specific sensor technologies also open completely new approaches to measure key environmental variables. Aboveground mass of trees reflects, among other processes, the interception of rain, fog and snow, delivery of sap, addition of leaves, and loss of stem water. We demonstrate that passive sensing of tree acceleration due to wind can be used to evaluate change in mass caused by events such as leafing out or loss of leaves. We conclude by exploring the implications of ecohydrological observation at ever greater resolution and richness of variables.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Lessons in New Measurement Technologies: From Instrumenting Trees to the Trans-African Hydrometeorological Observatory
- Creators
- J. S Selker - Oregon State UniversityF Selker - SelkerMetricsR Llamas - University of IowaA Kruger - University of IowaJ Niemeier - University of IowaM. R. Abou NajmN van de Giesen - Delft University of TechnologyR Hut - Delft University of TechnologyT van EmmerikJ. W Lane - United States Geological SurveyD. E Rupp - Oregon State UniversityH Lintz - Oregon State UniversityR. D Stewart - Virginia TechK McCulloh - University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Forest-Water Interactions, pp.131-144
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing; Cham
- Series
- Ecological Studies
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-030-26086-6_6
- eISSN
- 2196-971X
- ISSN
- 0070-8356
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/06/2020
- Academic Unit
- IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984197913902771
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