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Chapter 4

Theoretical Basis for Field Research

Outline:

  • What is Field Research?
    • Simple Definition- The act of going to a location and observing what is happening there to aid the development of a conceptual understand of some phenomenon.
    • Field Experiment- "a set of measurements conducted under controlled field conditions to develop and formalize some general principle about the evolution of landforms." (Olav Slaymaker, 1982)
    • 1. Measurements must be made in the context of an explicit conceptual model of the processes of interest.
    • 2. Specific testable hypotheses must be formalized about the process
    • 3. Measurement procedures must bear on the hypotheses.
    • 4. Analysis procedures must use the data to test hypotheses and thus address the conceptual framework.
  • Types of Field Research
    1. Classical Experiment
    2. Model Calibration and Testing
    3. Exploratory Observation
      • a. Stratified Landscape Study (aka Paired Watershed study)
      • b. Monitoring/Measurement Campaign
      • c. Paleo Study
      • d. Remote Sensing

Textbook reading:

  • none.

Other reading:

  • Chapter 3 of Guston, H. 1998. Field hydrology in tropical countries. Intermediate Technology Publications, p. 13-24. download here
  • Hopmans, J.W. and Pasternack, G.B. 2006. Experimental hydrology: a bright future. Advances in Water Resources 29:117-120. download here 
  • Advanced Reference: Schumm, S. A., Mosley, M. P., Weaver, W. E., 1987. Experimental fluvial geomorphology. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.

Related web links:

  • Models
    • Water Erosion Pilot Project homepage- this site contains research on one of the newest physically-based models for predicting soil erosion.
    • Use of 2D hydrodynamic models for stream restorationr- example application of a hydrodynamic model.
    • Hydro Model list- long list of hydrological models.
    Paired Basin Studies
    • Lake Champlain Basin Agricultural Watersheds, A Clean Water Act Section 319 National Monitoring Program Project- excellent example of a paired basin study.
    • Jordan Cove Urban Watershed Study- this site reports on a paired watershed experiment comparing standard "cookie cutter" urbanization versus environmentally conscious cluster development.
    • Riparian Poplar Tree Buffer Impact on Non-point Source Surface Water Contamination: A Paired Agricultural Watershed Study
    Monitoring Campaigns
    • Middle Rio Grande Basin Study
    • UC-Davis Cosumnes Research Group
    • San Francisco Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (SFPORTS)- this site conains the output of a massive real-time monitoring program and computer modeling "NOWCAST" of current conditions in San Francisco bay. Check out the vertical velocity profiles throughout the bay within the last 6 minutes!
    Paleo Studies
    • Deciphering Mysteries of Past Climate From Antarctic Ice Cores
    • Climate, Culture, and Catastrophe in the Ancient World- this site compiles a remarkable array of paleo data, field observation, and historic records in an effort to explain the origin of the urban/technological erao of human civilization around 3000BC.
    Remote Sensing
    • Baltimore Washington Regional Collaboratory- this site contains massive remote sensing data from an "experiment" in spatial data technology for mapping, monitoring, and managing earth resources.
    • Remote Sensing in Hydrology

Video Podcast: Types of Field Hydrology Studies

This 63-minute presentation explains the theoretical foundation for hydrological field work in terms of the different types of field hydrology studies. Even though this is a field methods course, it is critically important that all measurements get made with a clear understanding of what conclusions can be drawn in light of the experimental design- all too often data is collected that is useless.

  • 640 x 480 (480p) format that balances speed and quality. (621 MB file)
  • 1920 x 1280 (HD) format that provides larges size and best quality. (4.6 GB file)
Your browser does not support the video tag.

Last Chapter  :  Assignment 1

In this Section: Instructor » TA Info » Grading Policy » Syllabus » Readings » Online TA Help » Field Safety In this Section: Chapter 21 » Chapter 1 » Chapter 2 » Chapter 3 » Chapter 4 » Assignment 1 » Chapter 5 » Chapter 6 » Assignment 2 » Chapter 7 » Chapter 8 » Chapter 9 » Assignment 3 » Chapter 10 » Chapter 12 » Chapter 11 » Chapter 13 » Chapter 14 » Assignment 4 » Chapter 15 » Chapter 16 » Chapter 16b » Chapter 17 » Field Equipment Showcase » Chapter 18 » Chapter 19 » Chapter 20 » Chapter 22 » Chapter 23 » Chapter 24 » Course Review
>Chapter 4
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