A Self-calibrating Runoff and Streamflow Remote Sensing Model for Ungauged Basins Using Open-access Earth Observation Data

Due to increasing pressures on water resources, there is a need to monitor regional water resource availability in a spatially and temporally explicit manner. However, for many parts of the world, there is insufficient data to quantify stream flow or ground water infiltration rates. We present the results of a pixel-based water balance formulation to partition rainfall into evapotranspiration, surface water runoff and potential ground water infiltration. The method leverages remote sensing derived estimates of precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, Leaf Area Index, and a single F coefficient to distinguish between runoff and storage changes. The study produced significant correlations between the remote sensing method and field based measurements of river flow in two Vietnamese river basins. For the Ca basin, we found R2 values ranging from 0.88–0.97 and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values varying between 0.44–0.88. The R2 for the Red River varied between 0.87–0.93 and NSE values between 0.61 and 0.79. Based on these findings, we conclude that the method allows for a fast and cost-effective way to map water resource availability in basins with no gauges or monitoring infrastructure, without the need for application of sophisticated hydrological models or resource-intensive data

Survey of the quality of experimental design, statistical analysis and reporting of research using animals

For scientific, ethical and economic reasons, experiments involving animals should be appropriately designed, correctly analysed and transparently reported. This increases the scientific validity of the results, and maximises the knowledge gained from each experiment. A minimum amount of relevant information must be included in scientific publications to ensure that the methods and results of a study can be reviewed, analysed and repeated. Omitting essential information can raise scientific and ethical concerns. We report the findings of a systematic survey of reporting, experimental design and statistical analysis in published biomedical research using laboratory animals. Medline and EMBASE were searched for studies reporting research on live rats, mice and non-human primates carried out in UK and US publicly funded research establishments. Detailed information was collected from 271 publications, about the objective or hypothesis of the study, the number, sex, age and/or weight of animals used, and experimental and statistical methods. Only 59% of the studies stated the hypothesis or objective of the study and the number and characteristics of the animals used. Appropriate and efficient experimental design is a critical component of high-quality science. Most of the papers surveyed did not use randomisation (87%) or blinding (86%), to reduce bias in animal selection and outcome assessment. Only 70% of the publications that used statistical methods described their methods and presented the results with a measure of error or variability. This survey has identified a number of issues that need to be addressed in order to improve experimental design and reporting in publications describing research using animals. Scientific publication is a powerful and important source of information; the authors of scientific publications therefore have a responsibility to describe their methods and results comprehensively, accurately and transparently, and peer reviewers and journal editors share the responsibility to ensure that published studies fulfil these criteria

Summary of the rangelands suitable for terrestrial carbon sequestration in Shasta County

Winrock International evaluated the potential for terrestrial carbon sequestration through afforestation in Shasta County, California.  The report presents suitability of rangelands for afforestation, potential carbon accumulation, total costs, and potential carbon supply, and also includes spatially explicit analyses illustrating attractive regions for afforestation within the county and the range of afforestation costs. Researchers determined that afforestation of Shasta County rangelands could result in the sequestration of about 17.7 million tons of carbon (t C) after 20 years at a cost of less than $20/t C ($5.45/ton of carbon dioxide [t CO2]) or about 57.6 million tons of carbon after 80 years at a cost of less than $10/t C ($2.7/t CO2).  This opportunity, which will be tested and validated through pilot projects in Shasta County under the U.S. Department of Energy‐funded West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB)—Phase II, could be replicated elsewhere in California and the WESTCARB region.  The report also provides a summary of initial outreach efforts to landowners interested in conducting afforestation for carbon.  The authors also include recommendations for further characterization and stratification, landowner outreach, and considerations for incorporating such projects into evolving voluntary carbon markets and regulatory programs

Summary of the rangelands suitable for terrestrial carbon sequestration in Shasta County

Winrock International evaluated the potential for terrestrial carbon sequestration through afforestation in Shasta County, California.  The report presents suitability of rangelands for afforestation, potential carbon accumulation, total costs, and potential carbon supply, and also includes spatially explicit analyses illustrating attractive regions for afforestation within the county and the range of afforestation costs. Researchers determined that afforestation of Shasta County rangelands could result in the sequestration of about 17.7 million tons of carbon (t C) after 20 years at a cost of less than $20/t C ($5.45/ton of carbon dioxide [t CO2]) or about 57.6 million tons of carbon after 80 years at a cost of less than $10/t C ($2.7/t CO2).  This opportunity, which will be tested and validated through pilot projects in Shasta County under the U.S. Department of Energy‐funded West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB)—Phase II, could be replicated elsewhere in California and the WESTCARB region.  The report also provides a summary of initial outreach efforts to landowners interested in conducting afforestation for carbon.  The authors also include recommendations for further characterization and stratification, landowner outreach, and considerations for incorporating such projects into evolving voluntary carbon markets and regulatory programs

A self-calibrating runoff and streamflow remote sensing model for ungauged basins using open-access earth observation data

Due to increasing pressures on water resources, there is a need to monitor regional water resource availability in a spatially and temporally explicit manner. However, for many parts of the world, there is insufficient data to quantify stream flow or ground water infiltration rates. We present the results of a pixel-based water balance formulation to partition rainfall into evapotranspiration, surface water runoff and potential ground water infiltration. The method leverages remote sensing derived estimates of precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, Leaf Area Index, and a single F coefficient to distinguish between runoff and storage changes. The study produced significant correlations between the remote sensing method and field based measurements of river flow in two Vietnamese river basins. For the Ca basin, we found R2 values ranging from 0.88–0.97 and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values varying between 0.44–0.88. The R2 for the Red River varied between 0.87–0.93 and NSE values between 0.61 and 0.79. Based on these findings, we conclude that the method allows for a fast and cost-effective way to map water resource availability in basins with no gauges or monitoring infrastructure, without the need for application of sophisticated hydrological models or resource-intensive data