ESTIMATION OF SOIL MOISTURE LEVELS AT FIELD CAPACITY AND WILTING POINT BY PREDICTIVE MODELS ON A REGIONAL SCALE

Estimating soil values by using spatial modeling techniques based on processes and environmental variables can resolve the scarcity of data concerning from soil properties in studies applied to large areas. In this paper we have used values of soil water potential, on levels for Field Capacity (pF 2.5) and Wilting Point (pF 42), obtained from 307 profiles (LUCDEME Project) distributed in the region de Murcia (over 10000 km(2)), for the purpose of provide an estimate of the moisture content of soil pF mentioned levels by 21 environmental variables used as predictors. The supplied results show distinct differences in the variables that compose each of the models, which suggest that the processes that determine the values of pF 25 and pF 42 in soil can be different. Among the most influential variables include those associated with topography (digital elevation model, curvatures), flow accumulation linked to drainage networks, and values obtained by remote sensing techniques, such as NDVI.