Title：Facilitating sustainable management of the Earth's Critical Zone: The role of soil moisture science and technology

Speaker：Dr. Ochsner 

Time：Sep. 8-9, 2016 10:00am

Venue: Room 307, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University

Speaker Profile:

Dr. Ochsner is a native of Chattanooga, Oklahoma. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Science at Oklahoma State University in 1998. He then studied Soil Science and Water Resources at Iowa State University earning a M.S. in 2000 and a Ph.D. in 2003. From 2003 through 2008, he worked as a soil scientist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in St. Paul, Minnesota. The mission of Dr. Ochsner’s soil physics research and teaching program is to help people better understand and appreciate the soil, the soil water balance, and the surface energy balance so that we can more wisely manage and conserve the land and water with which we have been entrusted.He has authored and coauthored over 50 publications in high impact journals such as "Water Resources Research” and "Soil Science Society of America Journal”.

Abstract：

Sustainable management of the "critical zone” requires adequate understanding of dynamic critical zone state variables that influence key ecosystem processes. A wide variety of ecosystem processes important to human and natural systems are strongly influenced by soil moisture. Unfortunately, adequate soil moisture information is not widely available because soil moisture measurements are relatively sparse and soil moisture levels exhibit exceptional spatial variability due to human and natural factors. Our group is working to improve the quality, availability, and use of soil moisture information in Oklahoma and beyond. This presentation will provide an overview of these ongoing efforts including: 1) using a cosmic-ray neutron rover to understand the primary drivers of spatial variability in soil moisture; 2) creating high-resolution, operational, statewide soil moisture maps by merging multiple data sources; 3) developing tools for both site-specific and statewide estimation of soil moisture conditions under cropland where no measurements exist; 4) exploring the use of soil moisture information to improve wildfire danger ratings; and 5) providing annual soil-moisture based, statewide maps indicating potential groundwater recharge. These efforts provide a glimpse of the growing importance of soil moisture science and technology in facilitating sustainable management of the Earth’s critical zone.

College of Natural Resources and Environment
Sep 5, 2016