While finer scale
DEMs
generated from lidar data may be
necessary for some detailed soil and hydrology studies, in
our study area, the highest possible resolution
DEM
was not
the best tool as the preponderance of low
UAA
values across
a range of topographic positions generated by the 1 m
DEM
were not suitable for soil horizon and water table comparison.
DEM
coarsening and filtration resulted in significant changes
to
UAA
and
TWI
values. Given the importance of these metrics
in hydrological research and watershed management, we
recommend that
DEM
resolution for computing
UAA
and
TWI
be carefully selected based on prior observation and expert
knowledge of the scale of features controlling the hydrologic
response. Blindly using the highest resolution data available
may hinder the progress of the effects of topographic relation-
ships in watershed research.
Acknowledgments
Financial support was provided by the National Science
Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research (DEB 1114804),
Hydrologic Sciences (EAR 1014507), and Research Experi-
ence for Undergraduate (DBI/EAR 0754678) programs. Lidar
data were collected by Photo Science, Inc. for the White
Mountain National Forest and as part of the National Center
for Airborne Laser Mapping (
NCALM
) seed award program.
Field work was partially conducted by Rebecca Bourgault,
Margaret Burns, Erin Shoop-Volitis, J.P. Gannon, and Geoffrey
Schwaner. The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is oper-
ated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern
Research Station, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania and is part
of the NSF Long-Term Ecological Research network.
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