Monitoring Soil and Vegetation Moisture Variations in the Leeward Mountainside of Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area
Lead Researcher
- Giraldo Mario – Geography and Environmental Studies
Collaborators
Student Team
- Zoila Campos – Geography
Funding
- Funding Organization: NSF
- Funding Program:
Abstract
This project utilizes test methods and instrumentation to estimate plant and soil moisture temporal variations in a chaparral coastal sage scrub vegetation found in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa, an area belonging to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The study took place from Fall of 2020 to Spring of 2021. Data loggers and hand-held devices were used to record soil and leaf moisture and tree sap flow. Statistical regression analysis was used to determine correlations between humidity and weather variables. Preliminary findings demonstrate that equipment and techniques can be used to estimate temporal variation in plant and soil moisture as a proxy to estimate biomass production and to anticipate drying periods, which are of great importance for ecological forecasting efforts used in conservation and restoration planning.
The increased frequency and severity of forest fires in the Santa Monica Mountains creates a need for new tools and techniques that support natural resources decision-makers, and field managers in their task of anticipating plant communities’ potential for catastrophic fire and plant success in recovering, restoration and conservation efforts after fire events.
Alignment, Engagement and Contributions to the priorities of NASA’s Mission Directorates
Our research directly contributes to NASA-JPL Earth’s Science projects in the areas of ecological cycles, ground validation for remote sensing, Earth’s surface dynamics. The project addresses studies water dynamics and ecosystem changes in southern California.
Research Questions and Objectives
The project seeks to study the intra-seasonal variations of plant phenology (life cycle) and the effect of environmental variables in plant drying process. The project also pilots a set of field equipment and data analysis techniques that will allow the continuous field monitoring of native vegetation changes to anticipate critical conditions for wild fires.
Research Methods
Use of water monitoring equipment to collect time series of soil, plant and weather data. Use of data science techniques to identify trends and associations in the data linked to plant phenology.
Research Deliverables and Products
The analysis of the time series of plant-water-weather data will be published in ecological journals such as ecological indicators with a first manuscript already in preparation. Four conference presentations were done in 2021 with both undergraduate and graduate students as coauthors. Similar productivity is expected in the next two years of the project.
Research Timeline
Start Date: January 2021
End Date: January 2025
Alignment, Engagement and Contributions to the priorities of NASA’s Mission Directorates
Our research directly contributes to NASA-JPL’s Earth Science projects in the areas of ecological cycles, ground validation for remote sensing, and Earth’s surface dynamics. The project addresses water dynamics and ecosystem changes in southern California.
Research Questions and Objectives
The project seeks to study the intra-seasonal variations of plant phenology (life cycle) and the effect of environmental variables on the plant drying process. The project also pilots a set of field equipment and data analysis techniques that will allow the continuous field monitoring of native vegetation changes to anticipate critical conditions for wildfires.
Research Methods
Use of water monitoring equipment to collect time series of soil, plant and weather data. Use of data science techniques to identify trends and associations in the data linked to plant phenology.
Research Deliverables and Products
The analysis of the time series of plant-water-weather data will be published in ecological journals such as ecological indicators with a first manuscript already in preparation. Four conference presentations were done in 2021 with both undergraduate and graduate students as coauthors. Similar productivity is expected in the next two years of the project.
Research Timeline
Start Date: January 2021
End Date: January 2025
Lead Researcher
- Giraldo Mario – Geography and Environmental Studies
Collaborators
Student Team
- Zoila Campos – Geography
Funding
- Funding Organization: NSF
- Funding Program: