2011

Ochoa, C. G., Fernald, A. G., Guldan, S. J.

http://www.cabi.org/cabebooks/ebook/20113256953

Abstract: This book presents some of the complex interactions between soil hydrology and land use management changes on a watershed scale, and determines the influence of these changes on soil, water and solute dynamics within the vadose zone. The book synthesizes information on several existing soil hydrological models, their capabilities, theories and input requirements, addresses the consequences of land use and management changes for agriculture and presents research results including those from field measurements and modelling. The book also attempts to present results on the possible impacts of climatic change on soil hydrological processes and, to a limited degree, on its impacts on agriculture. lable in any peer-reviewed journal article. This book comprises 19 chapters which start with an introduction to soil hydrology and the application of hydrological models on a mesoscale, while listing the variability of hydrological properties and some of the past, present and future challenges associated with soil hydrology (Chapters 1-2). As there are a number of soil hydrological models that are in the public domain, the book presents a detailed overview of some of these physically/semi-physically based models (Chapter 3), followed by case studies on the application of some of the models to determine the impact of land use and management on various soil hydrological parameters under different climates and ecosystems (Chapters 4-11). The book presents case studies relating to soil water and nutrient management for the sustainable use of agricultural sources (Chapters 12-14), lists different climate data sets for soil hydrological modelling (Chapter 15) and discusses the influence of climate change on soil hydrology, soil erosion, and agriculture (Chapters 16-19). The book also provides the state of the art on hydrological models and is a useful reference for graduate students and scientists working on the interface among soil physics, soil hydrology, land use management, agricultural engineering, agronomy, natural resources and climate change. It also advances our understanding of complex, linked non-linear interactions among soil hydrological properties and processes, and familiarizes the scientific community with the diverse applications of these models.