HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Schaap, M. G. Articles by van Genuchten, M. Th. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Schaap, M. G. Articles by van Genuchten, M. Th. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Schaap, M. G. Articles by van Genuchten, M. Th.

Neural Network Analysis for Hierarchical Prediction of Soil Hydraulic Properties

USDA-ARS, U.S. Salinity Lab., 450 West Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA 92507-4617

*Corresponding author (mschaap{at}ussl.ars.usda.gov).

ABSTRACT

The solution of many field-scale flow and transport problems requires estimates of unsaturated soil hydraulic properties. The objective of this study was to calibrate neural network models for prediction of water retention parameters and saturated hydraulic conductivity, K_s, from basic soil properties. Twelve neural network models were developed to predict water retention parameters using a data set of 1209 samples containing sand, silt, and clay contents, bulk density, porosity, gravel content, and soil horizon as well as water retention data. A subset of 620 samples was used to develop 19 neural network models to predict K_s. Prediction of water retention parameters and K_s generally improved if more input data were used. In a more detailed investigation, four models with the following levels of input data were selected: (i) soil textural class, (ii) sand, silt, and clay contents, (iii) sand, silt, and clay contents and bulk density, and (iv) the previous variables and water content at a pressure head of 33 kPa. For water retention, the root mean square residuals decreased from 0.107 for the first to 0.060 m³ m^-3 for the fourth model while the root mean square residual K_s decreased from 0.627 to 0.451 log(cm d^-1). The neural network models performed better on our data set than four published pedotransfer functions for water retention (by 0.01–0.05 m³ m^-3) and better than six published functions for K_s (by 0.1–0.9 order of magnitude). Use of the developed hierarchical neural network models is attractive because of improved accuracy and because it permits a considerable degree of flexibility toward available input data.

Received for publication June 2, 1997.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Simunek, M. Th. van Genuchten, and M. Sejna Development and Applications of the HYDRUS and STANMOD Software Packages and Related Codes Vadose Zone J., May 27, 2008; 7(2): 587 - 600. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Wohling, J. A. Vrugt, and G. F. Barkle Comparison of Three Multiobjective Optimization Algorithms for Inverse Modeling of Vadose Zone Hydraulic Properties Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 25, 2008; 72(2): 305 - 319. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Lilly, A. Nemes, W. J. Rawls, and Ya. A. Pachepsky Probabilistic Approach to the Identification of Input Variables to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 11, 2008; 72(1): 16 - 24. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. de Condappa, S. Galle, B. Dewandel, and R. Haverkamp Bimodal Zone of the Soil Textural Triangle: Common in Tropical and Subtropical Regions Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 11, 2008; 72(1): 33 - 40. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. B. Jana, B. P. Mohanty, and E. P. Springer Multiscale Pedotransfer Functions for Soil Water Retention Vadose Zone J., November 20, 2007; 6(4): 868 - 878. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Sheikh and E. E. van Loon Comparing Performance and Parameterization of a One-Dimensional Unsaturated Zone Model across Scales Vadose Zone J., August 23, 2007; 6(3): 638 - 650. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Minasny and A. B. McBratney Estimating the Water Retention Shape Parameter from Sand and Clay Content Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., June 8, 2007; 71(4): 1105 - 1110. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Vanderborght and H. Vereecken Review of Dispersivities for Transport Modeling in Soils Vadose Zone J., January 24, 2007; 6(1): 29 - 52. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Zacharias and G. Wessolek Excluding Organic Matter Content from Pedotransfer Predictors of Soil Water Retention Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2007; 71(1): 43 - 50. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Nemes, W. J. Rawls, Ya. A. Pachepsky, and M. Th. van Genuchten Sensitivity Analysis of the Nonparametric Nearest Neighbor Technique to Estimate Soil Water Retention Vadose Zone J., November 20, 2006; 5(4): 1222 - 1235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Parasuraman, A. Elshorbagy, and B. C. Si Estimating Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity In Spatially Variable Fields Using Neural Network Ensembles Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 20, 2006; 70(6): 1851 - 1859. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. K. Sharma, B. P. Mohanty, and J. Zhu Including Topography and Vegetation Attributes for Developing Pedotransfer Functions Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., August 3, 2006; 70(5): 1430 - 1440. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. E. Saxton and W. J. Rawls Soil Water Characteristic Estimates by Texture and Organic Matter for Hydrologic Solutions Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., August 3, 2006; 70(5): 1569 - 1578. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Winfield, J. R. Nimmo, J. A. Izbicki, and P. M. Martin Resolving Structural Influences on Water-Retention Properties of Alluvial Deposits Vadose Zone J., May 26, 2006; 5(2): 706 - 719. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Nemes, W. J. Rawls, and Y. A. Pachepsky Use of the Nonparametric Nearest Neighbor Approach to Estimate Soil Hydraulic Properties Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., February 2, 2006; 70(2): 327 - 336. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. A. Wood, T. Meixner, P. J. Shouse, and E. B. Allen Altered Ecohydrologic Response Drives Native Shrub Loss under Conditions of Elevated Nitrogen Deposition J. Environ. Qual., January 3, 2006; 35(1): 76 - 92. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Haverkamp, F. J. Leij, C. Fuentes, A. Sciortino, and P. J. Ross Soil Water Retention: I. Introduction of a Shape Index Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., October 27, 2005; 69(6): 1881 - 1890. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Vanderlinden, J. V. Giraldez, and M. Van Meirvenne Soil Water-Holding Capacity Assessment in Terms of the Average Annual Water Balance in Southern Spain Vadose Zone J., May 12, 2005; 4(2): 317 - 328. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. R. Scanlon, R. C. Reedy, K. E. Keese, and S. F. Dwyer Evaluation of Evapotranspirative Covers for Waste Containment in Arid and Semiarid Regions in the Southwestern USA Vadose Zone J., February 1, 2005; 4(1): 55 - 71. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. P. Chan and R. S. Govindaraju Estimating Soil Water Retention Curve from Particle-Size Distribution Data Based on Polydisperse Sphere Systems Vadose Zone J., November 1, 2004; 3(4): 1443 - 1454. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. G. Schaap, A. Nemes, and M. Th. van Genuchten Comparison of Models for Indirect Estimation of Water Retention and Available Water in Surface Soils Vadose Zone J., November 1, 2004; 3(4): 1455 - 1463. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Ali, F. D. Whisler, J. Iqbal, J. N. Jenkins, and J. M. Mckinion Soil Physical Properties Web Database for GOSSYM and GLYCIM Crop Simulation Models Agron. J., November 1, 2004; 96(6): 1706 - 1710. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Flint and K. M. Ellett The Role of the Unsaturated Zone in Artificial Recharge at San Gorgonio Pass, California Vadose Zone J., August 1, 2004; 3(3): 763 - 774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Bitterlich, W. Durner, S. C. Iden, and P. Knabner Inverse Estimation of the Unsaturated Soil Hydraulic Properties from Column Outflow Experiments Using Free-Form Parameterizations Vadose Zone J., August 1, 2004; 3(3): 971 - 981. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Minasny, J. W. Hopmans, T. Harter, S. O. Eching, A. Tuli, and M. A. Denton Neural Networks Prediction of Soil Hydraulic Functions for Alluvial Soils Using Multistep Outflow Data Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2004; 68(2): 417 - 429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. T. Nolan, B. T. Nolan, A. L. Baehr, and L. J. Kauffman Spatial Variability of Groundwater Recharge and its Effect on Shallow Groundwater Quality in Southern New Jersey Vadose Zone J., November 1, 2003; 2(4): 677 - 691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Sommer, H. Folster, K. Vielhauer, E. J. M. Carvalho, and P. L. G. Vlek Deep Soil Water Dynamics and Depletion by Secondary Vegetation in the Eastern Amazon Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., November 1, 2003; 67(6): 1672 - 1686. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Wang, W. Wang, S. P. Neuman, T.-m. Yao, and P. J. Wierenga Simulation of Large-Scale Field Infiltration Experiments Using a Hierarchy of Models Based on Public, Generic, and Site Data Vadose Zone J., August 1, 2003; 2(3): 297 - 312. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Tomasella, Ya. Pachepsky, S. Crestana, and W. J. Rawls Comparison of Two Techniques to Develop Pedotransfer Functions for Water Retention Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., July 1, 2003; 67(4): 1085 - 1092. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Vrugt, J. A. Vrugt, W. Bouten, H. V. Gupta, and J. W. Hopmans Toward Improved Identifiability of Soil Hydraulic Parameters: On the Selection of a Suitable Parametric Model Vadose Zone J., February 1, 2003; 2(1): 98 - 113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Minasny and A. B. McBratney The Neuro-m Method for Fitting Neural Network Parametric Pedotransfer Functions Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2002; 66(2): 352 - 361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Bruckler, P. Bertuzzi, R. Angulo-Jaramillo, and S. Ruy Testing an Infiltration Method for Estimating Soil Hydraulic Properties in the Laboratory Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2002; 66(2): 384 - 395. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Chen and W. A. Payne Measured and Modeled Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity of a Walla Walla Silt Loam Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 1, 2001; 65(5): 1385 - 1391. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. M. Cornelis, J. Ronsyn, M. Van Meirvenne, and R. Hartmann Evaluation of Pedotransfer Functions for Predicting the Soil Moisture Retention Curve Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2001; 65(3): 638 - 648. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.A. Vrugt, W. Bouten, and A.H. Weerts Information Content of Data for Identifying Soil Hydraulic Parameters from Outflow Experiments Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2001; 65(1): 19 - 27. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. G. Schaap and F. J. Leij Improved Prediction of Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity with the Mualem-van Genuchten Model Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2000; 64(3): 843 - 851. [Abstract] [Full Text]