Litter cover effect on soil spectral response

Abstract

In order to assess the influence of litter cover on soil background spectral response, trays of dry Lehmann Lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) were used at three different densities (635, 1015, 2815 Kg/ha) over three different soil backgrounds (Whitehouse sandy clay loam, Superstition sand, and Cloversprings loam). After analysis, spectral measurements made with a Barnes Multi-Modular Radiometer revealed that, soil-litter mixtures exhibit an oil like spectral behavior in the (0.45-2.30 m) waveband range. Mulched soils could not be discriminated from bare soils solely on the basis of the spectral response. However, mulched and bare soil spectral responses differed in amplitude depending on the difference in brightness between the bare soil and the litter cover. In addition, the results showed that while an increase of litter cover density on the soil surface decreased RVI, NDVI and PVI predicted greenness, it increased the GVI based greenness for all soils except the Superstition sand where the GVI showed a reversed trend. The PVI increased at low and intermediate litter densities and decreased at higher ones for the Superstition sand.