Project Personnel: Alan Cooper Lead Associate ANE-Asia David B. Hannaway Professor of Crop Science Forage Information System Christopher Runkle Lead Associate Runckel & Associates Christopher Daly Professor of Geosciences Spatial Climate Analysis Service Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental consultants Improved Agriculture and Natural Resource Management through GIS Mapping of Climates, Soils, and Vegetation

Mekong River Commission Briefing Project Objective: Improved Agriculture and Natural Resource Management To produce a decision support system (DSS) for improving agriculture and natural resource management through: – optimal matching of location, use, and crop/natural resource characteristics – Using GIS spatial data layers for climates and soils and a vegetation database – Integrating into a web-based DSS

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Challenge: Sub-optimal decision making due to complexity and lack of integration Optimal decision making requires integration of: – Climate, geo-physical, biological, socio-economic, and geo-political information – GIS spatial data layers for better understanding of their inter-relationships

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Opportunity: Development and application of current and emerging technology tools State-of-the-science tools can be applied to: – Create GIS spatial data layers for climates and soils – Develop a quantitative tolerances vegetation database – Integrate all information into a web-based DSS

Mekong River Commission Briefing The Concept: Develop “state-of-the-science” spatial data layers, constrain by tolerances, and map Base information layers of climates and soils are constrained by vegetation tolerances to produce suitability maps, based on: – Precipitation, min., max. temperature – Soil drainage, pH, salinity, alkalinity – Quantitative tolerances for plants – Socio-economic conditions – Other limiting factors

Mekong River Commission Briefing OSU has developed similar products for the USA, PRC, and Europe through: – Cooperation with governments, universities, agencies, and organizations – Assembling necessary data – Creating GIS layers – Applying spatial data layers within DSS The Process: Identify cooperators, obtain data, apply proven model used in USA, PRC, EU

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Techniques: for Climate Spatial Data Layers PRISM is a Knowledge- Based System developed over 11 years USA mapping for NRCS using 8600 climate stations PRISM software uses point data, DEM, and expert knowledge to create gridded estimates of climate elements Now being applied to EU, China, and Taiwan P arameter-elevation R egressions on I ndependent S lopes M odel

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Products: Internationally recognized “best maps” for climate Climates – USA, PRC, EU, Taiwan 40 year mean annual and mean monthly precipitation Mean monthly minimum temperature Mean monthly maximum temperature

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Climate Stations

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Digital Elevation Model

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Annual Precipitation

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: January Min. Temperature

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: July Max. Temperature

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Techniques: for Soil Spatial Data Layers Based on soil survey information USA national and county digital soil surveys (STATSGO and SSURGO) are 1:250,000 and 1:24,000 scale PRC surveys and mapping are 1:4,000,000 and 1:1,000,000 scale More detailed maps are being developed for PRC CAAS Soil & Fertilizer Institute

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Products: Variable scale soil maps Soils – USA, PRC Type Texture Drainage pH Salinity Alkalinity STATSGO and SSURGO Soil Information

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Soil texture

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Soil drainage

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Soil pH

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current Techniques: for Vegetation Tolerances Traditional approach has been qualitative Need quantitative approach to work with spatial data layers and integrate with crop simulation models Initial estimates have been developed Internet Map Server for web-based improvements via “dynamic mapping”

Mekong River Commission Briefing Public access View PRISM and suitability maps Private access Password required Allows dynamic modeling of species suitability Internet Map Server:

Mekong River Commission Briefing Map services PRC and USA Toolbar Zoom, pan, identify, select, etc. Internet Map Server:

Mekong River Commission Briefing Zoom Functions Panning Identify Find Measure Distance Select Features Clear Selection Print Open Map Service Run Adaptation Model Toggle Legend Overview Map Zoom Functions Internet Map Server: Toolbar

Mekong River Commission Briefing Layers: Cities, geopolitical, rivers, roads, etc. PRISM : Mean Precipitation, Min. & Max. Temp. by Month Adaptation: Tall Fescue, Orchardgrass, Perennial ryegrass Internet Map Server: Map Features PRISM layers Adaptation Maps

Mekong River Commission Briefing 1. Use Find tool to search for a value. 2. Clicking on the table of search results… 3. Will zoom the map to your selection.

Mekong River Commission Briefing More layers become visible as you zoom into the map Legend displays for the grid data layers.

Mekong River Commission Briefing Run the Adaptation Model: MaxTR = Range of July Maximum Temperature MinT = Minimum January Minimum Temperature PPT = Minimum Mean Annual Precipitation

Mekong River Commission Briefing The map updates to show regions of favorable and unfavorable growth based on inputs to the model. Color legend and table of values used in the model appear with map. Recall previously run model results by selecting grass type and “Refresh Map”

Mekong River Commission Briefing Viewing Plant Species as Tools DSS will provide manager with capability to: – View the various plant species as tools – Know the characteristics of the various “tools” to use them effectively for specific jobs: forage-livestock systems soil conservation preserving species diversity beautification etc.

Mekong River Commission Briefing Species Suitability Optimal selection is based on species suitability Manager’s job is to match climate, soil, use, and management level to vegetation characteristics New tools, coupled with field testing, make this possible

Mekong River Commission Briefing Suitability Factors  Climate – Precipitation Annual & Seasonal – Temperature Minimum & Maximum  Soil – pH, Drainage, Salinity  Pest tolerance – Diseases – Insects – Nematodes – Vertebrates

Mekong River Commission Briefing Forage Species Tolerances Drought, heat, cold pH, drainage, salinity Insects, diseases, & nematodes Fertilization, defoliation severity and intensity

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Climatic tolerances

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Lolium perenne

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Dactylis glomerata

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Festuca arundinacea

Mekong River Commission Briefing Soil Tolerances: pH

Mekong River Commission Briefing

Current PRC Map Products: Provincial level Selected USA states, and provinces in Canada and China have been mapped for climate, soils, and forage species suitability Additional data is needed for higher resolution maps

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Yunnan DEM

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Yunnan Annual Precip.

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Yunnan Min. Temperature

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Yunnan Max. Temperature

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Yunnan Festuca arundinacea

Mekong River Commission Briefing Current PRC Map Products: Sichuan Festuca arundinacea

Mekong River Commission Briefing Soil pH

Mekong River Commission Briefing Conduct Validation to Ensure Accuracy Validate with field- based evaluation trials Link advanced technologies with traditional approaches Enlist local experts to assist with concept development, implementation and validation

Mekong River Commission Briefing Integrate into a Web-based DSS Individual pieces are important, nevertheless: – For truly helpful product, these pieces need to integrated into an easy-to-use Decision Support System – Web-based DSS provides easy access in an efficient delivery tool for farmers and policy makers leading to sustainable systems

Mekong River Commission Briefing Summary Optimal matching of species and varieties to environment and management as a key to long-term success Combining new computer-based tools with traditional field- based techniques Additional details can be found on web segment  Improved Agriculture and Natural Resource Management can be achieved by: