Terrestrial surface-area increment : the effects of topography, DEM resolution, and algorithm

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

YING, L.-X.

Dept. of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, The Key Lab. of Ministry of Education for Earth Surface Processes, Peking Univ., Beijing, Chine

SHEN, Z.-H.

Dept. of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, The Key Lab. of Ministry of Education for Earth Surface Processes, Peking Univ., Beijing, Chine

PIAO, S.-L.

Dept. of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, The Key Lab. of Ministry of Education for Earth Surface Processes, Peking Univ., Beijing, Chine

LIU, Y.

Inst. of Remote Sensing and GIS, Peking Univ., Beijing, Chine

MALANSON, G.P.

Dept. of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, Iowa Univ., Iowa City, Etats-Unis

Description :
To examine the effects of topography and data resolution on surface area calculation, the AA. calculated incremental area coefficients (IACs), based on 2 different algorithms, for a DEM of China at a series of spatial resolutions. Sampling the DEM with a regional network of 50 km x 50 km cell size, they explored the relationships among the 2 IACs and topographic features. Between the IACs there was a linear relationship that varied with DEM resolution. For a specific type of geomorphology, a threshold resolution of DEM can be determined, below which the surface-area increment (i.e., IAC) is negligible. The results provided the first comprehensive estimate of the contributions of the topographic features, DEM resolution, and algorithms for the surface-area increment, and indicated the scale-related properties and potential environmental consequences of topographic heterogeneity in various estimates of natural resources and ecosystem functions when area needs to be taken into account.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Physical geography, issn : 0272-3646, 2014, vol. 35, n°. 4, p. 297-312, nombre de pages : 16, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2014

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Abingdon, Taylor and Francis

Langue :
Anglais