Leveraging standardized monitoring data to support grazing land soil erosion assessments

TitleLeveraging standardized monitoring data to support grazing land soil erosion assessments
Publication TypeConference Proceedings
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsMcCord S, Webb N, Bonefont K, Courtright E, Duni D, Edwards B, Goodrich DC, Heilman P, Hernandez M, Metz L, Nearing MA, Newingham B, Nichols MH, Pierson FB, Tatarko J, Toledo DP, Van Pelt S, Van Zee J, Williams J
Conference NameLTAR Annual Meeting
Date Published7/31/2021
ARIS Log Number388063
Keywordsassessments, data, grazing land, Leveraging, monitoring, soil erosion, standardized, support
Abstract

The LTAR Rangeland Soil Erosion Working Group formed with the objective of coordinating the use of standardized national inventory and monitoring datasets to assess wind and water erosion impacts across US grazing lands. The Rangeland Soil Erosion Working Group is comprised of LTAR scientists, members of USDA-NRCS CEAP Grazing Lands project, as well as collaborators at the Bureau of Land Management and US Geological Survey. The first task of the group was to transform standardized monitoring data, housed in the Landscape Data Commons, into appropriate input formats to parameterize water (RHEM) and wind (AERO) erosion models. To accomplish this task, we coordinated with each modelling team to build accurate data models for each erosion model. This included: 1) identifying each input variable or indicator needed, 2) describing the correct calculation of each variable based on available monitoring data, 3) refining a common species list and functional group list for all species occurring on US grazing lands, and 4) applying the data model to the monitoring data to produce model input and parameterization files. As of July 2021, the data model development process is complete. The data model has been applied to over 60,000 grazing land inventory and monitoring locations nationally, enabling RHEM and AERO applications to those locations. The development of new analyses will support project stakeholders (NRCS CEAP and BLM) and provide erosion indicators across US grazing lands that can be used in the LTAR sustainable intensification indicators framework.