Spatial prediction of seabed sediment texture classes by cokriging from a legacy database of point observations

This paper illustrates the potential for statistical mapping of seabed sediment texture classes. It reports the analysis of legacy data on the composition of seabed sediment samples from the UK Continental Shelf with respect to three particle size classes (sand, mud, gravel). After appropriate transformation for compositional variables the spatial variation of the sediment particle size classes was modelled geostatistically using robust variogram estimators to produce a validated linear model of coregionalization. This was then used to predict the composition of seabed sediments at the nodes of a fine grid. The predictions were back-transformed to the original scales of measurement by a Monte Carlo integration over the prediction distribution on the transformed scale. This approach allowed the probability to be computed for each class in a classification of seabed sediment texture, at each node on the grid. The probability of each class, and derived information such as the class of maximum probability could therefore be mapped. Predictions were validated at a set of 2000 randomly sampled locations. The class of maximum probability corresponded to the observed class with a frequency of 0.7, and the uncertainty of this prediction was shown to depend on the absolute probability of the class of maximum probability. Other tests showed that this geostatistical approach gives reliable predictions with meaningful uncertainty measures. This provides a basis for rapid mapping of seabed sediment texture to classes with sound quantification of the uncertainty. Remapping to revised class definitions can also be done rapidly, which will be of particular value in habitat mapping where the seabed geology is an important factor in biotope modelling

Freqüência de irrigação em meloeiro cultivado em solo arenoso Irrigation frequency in melon crop cultivated in sandy soil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de cinco freqüências de irrigação na produtividade e na eficiência do uso da água em meloeiro cultivado sob fertirrigação por gotejamento em solo arenoso de Tabuleiro Costeiro do Piauí. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e seis repetições. Os tratamentos foram: F1, F2, F3, F4 e F5, correspondentes às freqüências de irrigação de 0,5, 1, 2, 3 e 4 dias, respectivamente. A freqüência de irrigação influenciou as produtividades comercial e total do meloeiro. As maiores produtividades totais (70,73 t ha-1; 77,99 t ha-1 e 64,21 t ha-1) e comerciais (67,20 t ha-1; 63,88 t ha-1 e 53,67 t ha-1) foram obtidas com as freqüências de 0,5 e de 1 dia, respectivamente. Com aplicações menos freqüentes, houve redução significativa (P<0,01) nas produtividades comercial e total do meloeiro. O peso médio de frutos não foi influenciado pelas freqüências de aplicação de água. A maior e a menor eficiência de uso de água, 24,40 kg m-3 e 14,14 kg m-3, foram obtidas com F1 e F5, respectivamente. As freqüências de irrigação de duas vezes por dia, diária e a cada dois dias, são as recomendadas para o meloeiro cultivado em solo arenoso sob fertirrigação por gotejamento. A eficiência de uso da água no meloeiro é maior quando as freqüências de irrigação são maiores.<br>The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of five irrigation frequencies in the productivity and efficience of water use of melon crop cultivated under fertirrigation by drip irrigation in a sandy soil of the Coast Plains of Piauí, Brazil. The experiment was allocated in a randomized complete block design, with five treatments and six replications. The treatments were: F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5, irrigation frequency of 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 days, respectively. The irrigation frequency affected the marketable and total yield of the melon crop. The highest total (70.73 t ha-1; 77.99 t ha-1 and 64.21 t ha-1) and marketable (62.20 t ha-1; 63.88 t ha-1 and 53.67 t ha-1) yields were obtained with the frequencies of 0.5 and 1 day, respectively. It was observed that for the leastest frequent of water applications there was a significative reduction (P<0.01) of the marketable and total fruit yield of melon crop. The average fruit weight was not affected by the frequency of water application. The highest and the lowest efficiency of water use, 24.40 kg m-3 and 14.14 kg m-3, were obtained with the frequencies of F1 and F5, respectively. The irrigation frequency twice a day, daily and two days are indicated for melon crop cultivated in sand soil by drip irrigation. The efficiency of water use for the melon crop is higher when the irrigation frequencies are higher