Articles | Volume 4, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-245-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-245-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
29 Apr 2021
Research article |
| 29 Apr 2021
| 29 Apr 2021
Communicating uncertainties in spatial predictions of grain micronutrient concentration
Christopher Chagumaira
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Future Food Beacon of Excellence and School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
Sustainable Agriculture Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
Crop and Soil Sciences Department, Bunda College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi
Joseph G. Chimungu
Crop and Soil Sciences Department, Bunda College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi
Dawd Gashu
Center for Food Science and Nutrition, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Patson C. Nalivata
Crop and Soil Sciences Department, Bunda College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi
Martin R. Broadley
Future Food Beacon of Excellence and School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
Alice E. Milne
Sustainable Agriculture Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
R. Murray Lark
Future Food Beacon of Excellence and School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
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Christopher Chagumaira, Joseph G. Chimungu, Patson C. Nalivata, Martin R. Broadley, Alice E. Milne, and R. Murray Lark
Geosci. Commun. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2023-1, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2023-1, 2023
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Our study is concerned with how uncertainty in spatial information about environmental variables can be communicated to stakeholders to make decisions about sampling whilst considering the trade-off between sample effort and reducing uncertainty. We tested four approaches that relate sampling density and uncertainty by eliciting the opinions of end-users. End-users preferred the method not direct link to decision-making. More work is needed to develop and elucidate decision-specific approaches.
Christopher Chagumaira, Joseph G. Chimungu, Patson C. Nalivata, Martin R. Broadley, Madlene Nussbaum, Alice E. Milne, and R. Murray Lark
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Our study examines different quantitative methods to predict concentrations of micronutrients in the soil from field samples. However, we emphasize the concerns of stakeholders, who use such information to make decisions, in this case in relation to the study and management of micronutrient deficiency risk in the human population. We propose a framework to think about these concerns then compare common approaches for digital soil mapping within this framework.
Nalumino L. Namwanyi, Maurice J. Hutton, Ikabongo Mukumbuta, Lydia M. Chabala, Clarence Chongo, Stalin Sichinga, and R. Murray Lark
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We examined historical sources for the Ecological Survey of Zambia, 1932–1943. This found how normal erosion gave rise to soil variation in the upper Zambezi valley, which was expressed in vegetation patterns which African farmers interpreted to select sites for cultivation and traditional production systems. The survey challenged colonial assumptions about traditional practices. We identify lessons for modern-day approaches to traditional agricultural knowledge in Africa.
Christopher Chagumaira, Joseph G. Chimungu, Patson C. Nalivata, Martin R. Broadley, Alice E. Milne, and R. Murray Lark
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Revised manuscript accepted for GC
Short summary
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Our study is concerned with how uncertainty in spatial information about environmental variables can be communicated to stakeholders to make decisions about sampling whilst considering the trade-off between sample effort and reducing uncertainty. We tested four approaches that relate sampling density and uncertainty by eliciting the opinions of end-users. End-users preferred the method not direct link to decision-making. More work is needed to develop and elucidate decision-specific approaches.
Christopher Chagumaira, Joseph G. Chimungu, Patson C. Nalivata, Martin R. Broadley, Madlene Nussbaum, Alice E. Milne, and R. Murray Lark
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-583, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-583, 2022
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Our study examines different quantitative methods to predict concentrations of micronutrients in the soil from field samples. However, we emphasize the concerns of stakeholders, who use such information to make decisions, in this case in relation to the study and management of micronutrient deficiency risk in the human population. We propose a framework to think about these concerns then compare common approaches for digital soil mapping within this framework.
Abdul-Wahab Mossa, Dawd Gashu, Martin R. Broadley, Sarah J. Dunham, Steve P. McGrath, Elizabeth H. Bailey, and Scott D. Young
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Zinc deficiency is a widespread nutritional problem in human populations, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Crop Zn depends in part on soil Zn. The Zn status of soils from the Amahara region, Ethiopia, was quantified by measuring pseudo-total, available, soluble and isotopically exchangeable Zn, and soil geochemical properties were assessed. Widespread phyto-available Zn deficiency was observed. The results could be used to improve agronomic interventions to tackle Zn deficiency in SSA.
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Short summary
Our study is concerned with how the uncertainty in spatial information about environmental variables can be communicated to stakeholders who must use this information to make decisions. We tested five methods for communicating the uncertainty in spatial predictions by eliciting the opinions of end-users about the usefulness of the methods. End-users preferred methods based on the probability that concentrations are below or above a nutritionally significant threshold.
Our study is concerned with how the uncertainty in spatial information about environmental...
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