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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Boise, Idaho » Northwest Watershed Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #190130
Title: Response to "comments on field calibration of water content refectometers"

Author
item CHANDLER, D - UTAH STATE UNIV
item Seyfried, Mark

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2005
Publication Date: 2/20/2005
Citation: Chandler, D., and Seyfried, M.S. 2005. Response to "Comments on Field calibration of water content refectometers"; Soil Science Society of America Journal 69:1357-1358

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This publication is a response to comments on a recent paper, “Field calibration of water content reflectometers”, by Chandler, Seyfried and McNamara, Soil Science Society of America Journal, 2004) we published. In that paper we presented a method for field calibration of a relatively inexpensive soil water content sensor. We then demonstrated application of the method with field data and showed how the accuracy of these relatively inexpensive instruments could be substantially improved using the method. The comment about our paper had two main points: (i) that it would be difficult for farmers to apply our method, and (ii) that the method would not work well in many agricultural settings. Our response to the first point was that, this is probably true. Our paper was presented in a research journal that farmers would rarely read. Furthermore, the method we presented is actually quite simple and could be preformed by most professional land manager. In response to the second point, we agreed that this was the case and noted that the limitations of the approach were stated clearly (we thought) in the paper. We went on to point out that the method does apply well to many conditions, as we demonstrated in the paper, and that, if used wisely, it could greatly enhance many studies currently under way.