Welcome to Sensing Soil Condition
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Swift MJ, Shepherd KD. (Eds) 2007. Saving Africa's Soils: Science and Technology for Improved Soil Management in Africa. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre

Contact us


Dr. Keith D. Shepherd
Principal Investigator
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
United Nations Avenue, Gigiri
PO Box 30677-00100 GPO
Nairobi. Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 722 4000 or via USA +1 650 833 6645
Fax: +254 20 722 4001 or via USA +1 650 833 6646
Email: k.shepherd@cgiar.org

Related Contributions

Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2004. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for rapid soil analysis. In: Encyclopedia of Soil Science, edited By Rattan Lal

Waithaka MM, Thornton PK, Shepherd KD, and Ndiwa NN. Factors affecting the use of fertilizers and manure by smallholders: the case of Vihiga, western Kenya. Published in the Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems

PUBLICATIONS

JOURNAL ARTICLES

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  1. Tittonell, P.; Shepherd, K.D.; Vanlauwe, B.; Giller, K.E. (2008). Unravelling the effects of soil and crop management on maize productivity in smallholder agricultural systems of western Kenya - an application of classification and regression tree analysis: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 123 2008 p. 137-150. More Details
  2. Awiti, A.O.; Walsh, M.G.; Shepherd, K.D.; Kinyamario, J. (2007). Soil condition classification using infrared spectroscopy: a proposition for assessment of soil condtion along a tropical forest-cropland chronosequence: Geoderma 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.08.021 12p. PDF Full Text | More Details.
  3. Shepherd, K.D.; Walsh, M.G. (2007). Infrared spectroscopy - enabling an evidence based diagnostic survellance approach to agricultural and environmental management in developing countries: Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy 15, 2007 p. 1-19. More Details
  4. Waithaka MM, Thornton PK, Shepherd KD, and Ndiwa NN. Factors affecting the use of fertilizers and manure by smallholders: the case of Vihiga, western Kenya. Published in the Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. ISSN: 1385-1314 (Print) 1573-0867 (Online). Friday, April 06, 2007. More Details.
  5. Janik LJ, Skjemstad JO, Shepherd KD, and Spouncer LR. The prediction of soil carbon fractions using mid-infrared-partial least square analysis. Australian Journal of Soil Research, Volume 45 Number 2, 2007. PDF Full Text (411KB) | More Details
  6. Mutuo PK, Shepherd KD, Albrecht A, and Cadisch G (2005). Prediction of Carbon Mineralization Rates from Different Soil Physical Fractions Using Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38 (2006) 1658–1664. PDF Full Text (196KB) | More Details
  7. Cohen MJ, Brown MT and Shepherd KD. 2006. Estimating the environmental costs of soil erosion at multiple scales in Kenya using emergy synthesis. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 114: 249–269. PDF Full Text (740KB) | More Details
  8. Vågen T-G. 2006. Remote sensing of complex land use change trajectories—a case study from the highlands of Madagascar. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 115 (2006): 219–228. PDF Full Text (543KB) | More Details
  9. Tittonell P, Vanlauwe B, Leffelaar PA, Shepherd KD and Giller KE. 2005. Exploring diversity in soil fertility management of smallholder farms in Western Kenya. II. Within farm variability in resource allocation, nutrient flows and soil fertility status. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 110: 166-184. PDF Text
  10. Shepherd KD, Vanlauwe B, Gachengo CN Palm CA. 2005. Decomposition and mineralization of organic residues predicted using near infrared spectroscopy. Plant and Soil 277: 315-333. PDF Full Text (362KB) | More Details
  11. Brown DJ, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG, Mays MD and Reinsch TG. 2005. Global soil characterization with VNIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Geoderma 132 (2006) 273–290. PDF Full Text (492KB) | More Details
  12. Vågen T-G, Walsh, MG, Shepherd KD 2005. Stable isotopes for characterisation of past land use and trends in soil carbon following deforestation and land use change in the highlands of Madagascar. Geoderma. PDF Full Text (446KB) | More Details.
  13. Vågen T-G, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG. 2005. Sensing landscape level change in soil quality following deforestation and conversion in the highlands of Madagascar using Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Geoderma. PDF Full Text (946KB) | More Details
  14. Vanlauwe B, Gachengo C, Shepherd KD, Barrios E, Cadisch G, Palm CA 2005. Laboratory validation of a conceptual framework for organic resource management based on organic resource quality. Soil Science Society of America Journal 69: 1135–1145.  PDF Text | More Details
  15. Cohen MJ, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2004. Empirical reformulation of the Universal Soil Loss Equation for erosion risk assessment in a tropical watershed. Geoderma 124: 235-252. PDF Text | More Details
  16. Shepherd KD, Palm, CA, Gachengo, CN, Vanlauwe B 2003. Rapid characterization of organic resource quality for soil and livestock management in tropical agroecosystems using near infrared spectroscopy. Agronomy Journal 95:1314-1322. PDF Text | More Details
  17. Shepherd, KD, Walsh, MG 2002. Development of reflectance spectral libraries for characterization of soil properties. Soil Science Society of America Journal 66:988–998. PDF Text | More Details
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BOOK CHAPTER & BOOKLET


  1. Swift MJ, Shepherd KD. (Eds) 2007. Saving Africa's Soils: Science and Technology for Improved Soil Management in Africa. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre. PDF Full Text (742KB) | More Details
  2. Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2004. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for rapid soil analysis. In: Encyclopedia of Soil Science, edited By Rattan Lal. Online Published by Marcel Dekker, 04/26/2004. PDF Text | More Details

PUBLISHED THESES


  1. Mulumba, Lukman Nagaya (2004). Land Use Effects on Soil Quality and Productivity in the Lake Victoria Basin of Uganda. PhD Dissertation, Ohio State University, USA.
  2. Vagen, TG 2004. Change in Soil Quality in Relation to Deforestation and Land Use Change in the Highlands of Madagascar. PhD thesis, Norwegian University of Lifesciences, Aas, Norway.
  3. Mutuo PK 2004. Potential of improved tropical legume fallows and zero tillage practices for soil organic carbon sequestration. University of London, London: xxvi, 283 pp.
  4. Cohen MJ 2003. Systems evaluation of erosion and erosion control in a tropical watershed. PhD (Environmental Engineering Sciences) thesis. University of Florida (Gainesville).
  5. Omuto CT 2003. Rapid mapping of hydraulic conductivity in a tropical watershed. MSc (Agricultural Engineering) Thesis. University of Nairobi.
  6. Tittonell P 2003. Soil fertility gradients in smallholder farms of western Kenya: their origin, magnitude and importance. MSc thesis. Production Ecology, Wageningen University. Published as Quantitative Approaches in Systems Analysis No. 25, August 2003. TSBF/CIAT-Wageningen University.

WORKING PAPERS


  1. Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2000. Sensing soil quality: the evidence from Africa. Natural Resource Problems, Priorities and Policies Programme Working Paper 2000–1. International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi. PDF Text | More Details
  2. Shepherd, K.D.; Walsh, M.G.; Mugo, F.;Ong, C.K.;Hansen, T.S.; Swallow, B.M.; Awiti, A.;Hai, M.; Nyantika, D.; Ombalo, D.; Grunder, M.;Mbote, F.; Mungai, D. 2000. Improved land management in the Lake Victoria Basin : Linking land & lake, research & extension, catchment & lake basin. First technical report start-up phase, July 1999 to June 2000. Natural Resource Problems, Priorities and Policies Programme Working Paper 2000-2. ICRAF, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Soil and Water Conservation Branch & National Soil and Water Conservation Programme, Nairobi. HTML Full Text | More Details
  3. Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2001. Light reflectance provides rapid assessment of soil quality. Natural Resource Problems, Priorities and Policies Programme Working Paper 2001-1. International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya. PDF Text | More Details
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CONFERENCE PAPERS AND POSTERS


  1. Shepherd K 2005. Infrared Diagnostics: New technology for rapid diagnosis of soil, plant and livestock health constraints in farms and watersheds. Paper at III World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, 3rd - 7th October, 2005. Congress Theme: "Linking Production, Livelihoods and Conservation". PDF Text
  2. Awiti A, Walsh M, Shepherd K 2005. The Effects of Land Use Land Cover Change on Soil Functional Capacity: Patterns, Process and Implications. Paper at Deutscher Tropentag, October 11-13, 2005, Hohenheim “The Global Food & Product Chain—Dynamics, Innovations, Conflicts, Strategies”. PDF Text
  3. Wolfgramm B, Seiler B, Guntli D, Kneubühler M, Kellenberger T, Shepherd K and Liniger H 2005. Combining soil spectral reflectance data and satellite imagery to assess impacts of land use on soil fertility in Tajikistan. Poster at Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Processing in the Assessment and Monitoring of Land Degradation and Desertification, 7-9 September 2005, Trier, Germany .
  4. Vågen T-G, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2004. Stable C isotopes and diffuse reflectance spectra for assessing SOC and soil quality dynamics under land use conversions in Madagascar. Poster presented at the AfNet/TSBF symposium on “Improving Human Welfare and Environmental Conservation by Empowering Farmers to Combat Soil Fertility Degradation”, Yaoundé, Cameroon, May 17 – 21, 2004. PDF Text
  5. Shepherd KD, Walsh MG, Awiti A 2003. Use of soil spectral indicators for assessing and monitoring soil quality. Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. PDF Text
  6. Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2003. Improving accuracy and quality control of routine soil analyses using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. PDF Text
  7. Walsh MG, Shepherd KD 2003. Quantifying effects of historic land use change on soil organic carbon using soil reflectance libraries. Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. PDF Text
  8. Walsh MG, Shepherd KD, Awiti, A, Coe R 2003. Spectral detection of erosion phase transitions in large watersheds. Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. PDF Text
  9. Brown DJ, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2003. Soil classification based on VNIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. A Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSS]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.
  10. Cohen, MJ, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2003. Soil erodibility estimation using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.
  11. Vagen TG, Shepherd KD, Walsh MG 2003. Deforestation and land use change in the highlands of Madagascar: sensing change in soil quality using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Paper presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. 
  12. Thine CO, Walsh MG, Shepherd KD, Coe R 2003. Prediction of field-measured infiltration rates using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Poster presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.  PDF Text
  13. Vagen TG, Walsh MG, Shepherd KD 2003. Change Detection Using Image Classification and Spectral Mixture Analysis Techniques: Biomass Burning in the Highlands of Madagascar. Poster presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.
  14. Mutuo PK, Shepherd KD, Albrecht A, Cadisch G 2003. Prediction of carbon mineralization rates from different soil physical fractions using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Poster presented at ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, 2-6 November 2003, Denver, Colorado, USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASSA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. PDF Text
  15. Waithaka MM, Salasya BD, Thornton PK, Shepherd KD, Staal SJ, and Ndiwa NN 2003. Factors influencing enhanced soil fertility management in Vihiga, western Kenya. Poster presented at XXV International Association of Agricultural Economists Conference, 16-22 August 2003, Durban, South Africa. Best Poster Finalist Award.
  16. Swift M, with Bationo A, Barros E, Barrios E, Brown G, Place P, Ramisch J, Shepherd K, Stroud A, Vanlauwe B, Verchot L, Walsh M 2003. Land and soil problems: advances in methodological and empirical research and key challenges. A paper presented at World Agroforestry and the Future: A conference on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of ICRAF, 1-5 November 2003, Nairobi, Kenya.
  17. Shepherd KD, Walsh MG, Awiti A 2003. New Tools for Large Area Assessment of Soil Quality: Applications of Visible-Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. Paper presented at the 1st World Congress of Agroforestry – Working Together for Sustainable Land-use Systems, 27 June to 02 July 2004, Orlando, Florida, USA.
  18. Shepherd KD and MG Walsh 2002. Sensing soil quality: A protocol for large-area diagnostic surveillance of soil condition. Transactions of the 17th World Congress of Soil Science, 14-21 August, Bangkok, Thailand, p.1886.
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