Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Inverse modelling with a genetic algorithm to derive hydraulic properties of a multi-layered forest soil. / Schneider, Sébastien; Jacques, Diederik; Mallants, Dirk.
In: Soil Research, Vol. 51, No. 5, 09.2013, p. 372-389.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Inverse modelling with a genetic algorithm to derive hydraulic properties of a multi-layered forest soil
AU - Schneider, Sébastien
AU - Jacques, Diederik
AU - Mallants, Dirk
N1 - Score = 10
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - This study investigates conceptual models with contrasting complexityto quantify accurately the water balance in a soil–vegetation–atmosphere system: (i) the mechanistic HYDRUS-1D model; and (ii) a compartment model. Soil hydraulic properties were derived from field-based soil water content data collected at multiple depths installed in a forest soil for nearly one full hydrological year. Parameter optimisation was based on a genetic algorithm including elitism for improving the search for optimal solutions. Four scenarios were developed to investigate (i) the impact of the type of conceptual flow model (mechanistic or compartment), and (ii) the effect of the degree of detail or granularity used to describe the soil profile, on the accuracy of inverse modelling. Results showed that for models with the same number of material layers as the number of pedogenic horizons in the soil profile, both conceptual models reasonably match the observed water contents at all depths. A functional evaluation of model performance using the cumulative annual drainage revealed overall good performance of the simplified models; drainage values calculated with the five-layer compartment model and the one- and two-layer mechanistic model were never more than 36% larger than their reference value.
AB - This study investigates conceptual models with contrasting complexityto quantify accurately the water balance in a soil–vegetation–atmosphere system: (i) the mechanistic HYDRUS-1D model; and (ii) a compartment model. Soil hydraulic properties were derived from field-based soil water content data collected at multiple depths installed in a forest soil for nearly one full hydrological year. Parameter optimisation was based on a genetic algorithm including elitism for improving the search for optimal solutions. Four scenarios were developed to investigate (i) the impact of the type of conceptual flow model (mechanistic or compartment), and (ii) the effect of the degree of detail or granularity used to describe the soil profile, on the accuracy of inverse modelling. Results showed that for models with the same number of material layers as the number of pedogenic horizons in the soil profile, both conceptual models reasonably match the observed water contents at all depths. A functional evaluation of model performance using the cumulative annual drainage revealed overall good performance of the simplified models; drainage values calculated with the five-layer compartment model and the one- and two-layer mechanistic model were never more than 36% larger than their reference value.
KW - inverse optimistion
KW - genetic algorithm
KW - soil water balance
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/ezp_131116
UR - http://knowledgecentre.sckcen.be/so2/bibref/10552
U2 - 10.1071/SR13144
DO - 10.1071/SR13144
M3 - Article
VL - 51
SP - 372
EP - 389
JO - Soil Research
JF - Soil Research
SN - 1838-675X
IS - 5
ER -
ID: 244623