Soil-vegetation-landscape dynamics: quick and slow soil landscape feedbacks in natural and used systems (KwaZulu Natal, South Africa)
Arnaud Temme PhD
e arnaud.temme@wur.nl
t +31 (0) 317 484445
o room B120, Gaia Building
Duration: september 2003 - december 2008 (therefore: finished)
Thesis defence: December 5, 2008, 16:00
Promotor: prof. A. Veldkamp
Theme
In this project, I have studies the interactions between soil, vegetation and landscape. In practical terms, the influence of vegetation on erosion/deposition and vice-versa through soil properties. On the long 100-ka timescale, we study these interactions in Okhombe valley, province of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, where a series of paleosols is present. We dated this sequence, so that it gives simultaneous insight in vegetation, erosion and sedimentation history in the area. Since then, we have tested the resulting hypotheses with dynamic landscape evolution model LAPSUS.
The last step in this project was a look into the future of multi-process millenial scale landscape evolution modelling. This is strongly related to the emerging field of reduced-complexity modelling.
More in general, I have a broad interest in landscape evolution modelling, geomorphology, GIS and erosion studies.
Do not hesitate to mail me if you have any questions!
Fieldwork areas
Fieldwork has been conducted in 2004 and 2005 in the province of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. The study area Okhombe, in the foothills of the Drakensberg, is a communal area where people live from the natural resources. The current extreme gully erosion problems are therefore a direct threat to them. One of the questions that I would like to answer in this project is whether or not this erosion is an inevitable process, endogenous to landscape and climate. This would put current erosion prevention measures in a new perspective.
The pictures below give a quick overview of what fieldwork in this area is about.
MSc and BSc Thesis topics
Unfortunately, I can no longer accept MSc or BSc thesis students in this stage of the project.
Current research
My current interests are:
- Continuing work on the effect and treatment of sinks in Digital Elevation Models (paper published in Computers and Geosciences)
- Learning about the geomorphology and evolution of the landscape in the research area (paper published in Geomorphology)
- Trying to model the above evolution (paper published in ESPL)
- Looking into the future: effect of climate scenarios on landscape evolution (paper published in GPC)
- Interactions between multiple processes in landscape evolution models (paper submitted to Geomorphology)
- Concepts of processes in geomorphology (in prep for ESPL)
- Creation of LAPSUS3 in a modular setup
Updated 13-08-2008