Spectral Unmixing Applied to Desert Soils for the - Naval ...
Spectral Unmixing Applied to Desert Soils for the - Naval ...
Spectral Unmixing Applied to Desert Soils for the - Naval ...
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in desert regions include argids, orthids, mollisols, entisols, and shrink swell soils also<br />
known as cracking clays (Whit<strong>for</strong>d, 2002).<br />
The structure and processes that occur within desert regions can be directly linked<br />
<strong>to</strong> soil properties and <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e make it possible <strong>to</strong> link changes in those properties <strong>to</strong><br />
alterations in ecosystem functions (Prose, 1985; Whit<strong>for</strong>d, 2002). Because soils are a<br />
product of geology, geomorphology, and climate it is possible <strong>to</strong> make inferences as <strong>to</strong><br />
what types of soil components may be present based on local geologic, geomorphologic<br />
and clima<strong>to</strong>logic in<strong>for</strong>mation (Whit<strong>for</strong>d, 2002; Lammers, 1991). These similarities<br />
should also allow <strong>for</strong> use of endmembers from a geographically different yet geologically<br />
similar area <strong>to</strong> be used <strong>to</strong> study surface disturbances in different arid regions of <strong>the</strong> world<br />
(Whit<strong>for</strong>d, 2002; Lammers, 1991). <strong>Soils</strong> also play a key role in nutrient availability and<br />
nutrient cycling critical <strong>to</strong> survival of biologic soil components such as cryp<strong>to</strong>biotic soil<br />
crusts (BSCs) (Whit<strong>for</strong>d, 2002; Bowker et al., 2005). It is a reasonable assumption that<br />
biological soil components exhibiting signs of stress can yield in<strong>for</strong>mation (Smith et al.,<br />
2004) on anthropogenic activities causing surface disturbances; because <strong>the</strong>se impacts<br />
change ecosystem functions and nutrient delivery systems (Bowker et al., 2005; Evans et<br />
al., 1999; Prose, 1985) within and around an area (Webb et al., 2009).<br />
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