to the Homepage of the joint project SPACES2 'South Africa Land Degradation Monitor (SALDi)'. The project developed new approaches for the spatially explicit detection of land degradation in South Africa. The project was funded by the BMBF over the period from Nov. 2018 to April 2023. However, data analysis and publication activities continue in 2024.
Baade, J., I. Aucamp, A. Collett, F. Eckardt, R. Funk, C. Glotzbach, J. von Holdt, F. Kestel, J. Knot, A. Lombard, T. Morgenthal, A. Msipa & J. J. Le Roux (2024): Soil erosion, research and soil conservation policy in South Africa. In: von Maltitz, G., G. Midgley, J. Veitch, C. Brümmer, R. Rötter, F. Viehberg & M. Veste (Eds.), Sustainability of southern African ecosystems under global change: Science for management and policy interventions. Cham: Springer. pp. 335-368. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_13External link(open access)
Baade, J., U. Gessner, E. Hahndiek, C. Harmse, S. Hill, A. Hirner, N. Maruping-Mzileni, I. Otte, C. Pathe, P. Renner, K. Schellenberg, S. Selvaraj, M. Urban, Z. Zhang & C. Schmullius (2024): Observational support for regional policy implementation – land surface change under anthropogenic and climate pressure in SALDi study sites. In: von Maltitz, G., G. Midgley, J. Veitch, C. Brümmer, R. Rötter, F. Viehberg & M. Veste (Eds.), Sustainability of southern African ecosystems under global change: Science for management and policy interventions. Ecological Studies. Cham: Springer. pp. 845-877. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_29External link(open access)
Schmullius, C., U. Gessner, I. Otte, M. Urban, G. Chirima, M. A. Cho, K. Heckel, S. Hill, A. Hirner, P. Kluter, N. Mashiyi, O. Mutanga, A. Ramoelo, A. Skowno, J. Slingsby & J. Baade (2024): A new era of Earth observation for the environment – Spatio-temporal monitoring capabilities for land degradation. In: von Maltitz, G., G. Midgley, J. Veitch, C. Brümmer, R. Rötter, F. Viehberg & M. Veste (Eds.), Sustainability of southern African ecosystems under global change: Science for management and policy interventions. Cham: Springer. pp. 689-728. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_24External link(open access)
Zhang, Z., P. Laux, J. Baade, H. Moutahir & H. Kunstmann (2024): Regional land-atmosphere interactions in southern Africa: potential impact and sensitivity of forest and plantations modification. In: von Maltitz, G., G. Midgley, J. Veitch, C. Brümmer, R. Rötter, F. Viehberg & M. Veste (Eds.), Sustainability of southern African ecosystems under global change: Science for management and policy interventions. Cham: Springer. pp. 259-274. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_10External link(open access)
Zhang, Z., P. Laux, J. Baade, J. Arnault, J. Wei, X. Wang, S. Shang, T. Marthews, C. Schmullius & H. Kunstmann (2024): Sensitivity of joint atmospheric-terrestrial water balance simulations to soil representation: Convection-permitting coupled WRF-Hydro simulations for southern Africa. - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 355, 110127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110127External link(open access)
2023
Zhang Z., P. Laux, A. Joel, J. Baade, C. Schmullius, J. Wei, X. Wang, Y. Liu, H. Kunstmann (2023): Impact of alternative soil data sources on the uncertainties in simulated land-atmosphere interactions. - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 339, 109565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2023.109565External linkExterner LinkExternal link(open access)
2022
no Publications
2021
Heckel, K., M. Urban, J.-S. Bouffard, J. Baade, P. Boucher, A. Davies, E. G. Hockridge, W. Lück, J. Ziemer, I. Smit, B. Jacobs, M. Norris-Rogers & C. Schmullius (2021): The first sub-meter resolution digital elevation model of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. - Koedoe; Vol 63, No 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v63i1.1679External link(Open-Access)
Muumbe, T. P., J. Baade, J. Singh, C. Schmullius & C. Thau (2021): Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Vegetation Analyses with a Special Focus on Savannas. - Remote Sensing, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13030507External link (Open-Access)
Nghiyalwa, H. S., M. Urban, J. Baade, I. P. J. Smit, A. Ramoelo, B. Mogonong & C. Schmullius (2021): Spatio-Temporal Mixed Pixel Analysis of Savanna Ecosystems: A Review. - Remote Sensing, 13(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13193870External link(Open-Access)
Urban, M., K. Schellenberg, T. Morgenthal, C. Dubois, A. Hirner, U. Gessner, B. Mogonong, Z. Zhang, J. Baade, A. Collett & C. Schmullius (2021): Using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Time Series for Slangbos Mapping in the Free State Province, South Africa. - Remote Sensing, 13(17), 3342. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13173342External link(Open-Access)
2020
Baade, J & C Schmullius (2020): Local Validation and Comparison of Global Digital Elevation Models using a Large Assembly of GNSS Ground Measurements. - 2020 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Proceedings, IGARSS 2020, Proceedings, 5222-5225. https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS39084.2020.9324695 External link
Berger, C, H Lux, M Urban, C Schmullius, J Baade, C Thiel, C Wigley-Coetsee & I Smit (2020): Annual Grass Biomass Mapping with Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Data over Kruger National Park. - 2020 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2020, Proceedings, 4323-4326. https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS39084.2020.9324413External link
Ndyamboti, K, J du Toit, J Baade, A Kaiser, M Urban, C Schmullius, C Thiel, C Berger (2020): A multi-scale remote sensing approach to understanding vegetation dynamics in the Nama Karoo-Grassland ecotone of South Africa. - 2020 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2020, Proceedings, 4501-4504. https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS39084.2020.9323460External link
Schmullius, C, M Urban, A Hirner, C Berger, K Schellenberg, A Ramoelo, I Smit, T Strydom, G Chirima, T Morgenthal, B Melly, U Gessner & J Baade (2020): Earth Observation Strategies for Degradation Monitoring in South Africa with the Sentinels - Results from the SPACES II SALDi-Project. - 2020 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2020, Proceedings, 4783-4786. https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS39084.2020.932361External link
Urban, M., K. Heckel, C. Berger, P. Schratz, I. P. J. Smit, T. Strydom, J. Baade & C. Schmullius(2020a): Woody Cover Mapping in the Savanna Ecosystem of the Kruger National Park Using Sentinel-1 Time Series and LiDAR Data. [datasets and workflows] - Zenodo. [doi:10.5281/zenodo.3728185 / available online: 2020-03-26, Open Access, Link to data repositoryExternal link]
Urban, M., K. Heckel, C. Berger, P. Schratz, I. P. J. Smit, T. Strydom, J. Baade & C. Schmullius(2020b): Woody Cover Mapping in the Savanna Ecosystem of the Kruger National Park Using Sentinel-1 Time Series Data. - Koedoe, 62(1), a1621. https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v62i1.1621External link
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SALDi conference contributions (as of Aug. 2023)
SPACES EMSAfrica & SALDi contributors @ SSNM 2019 in Skukuza, KNP, South Africa
Image: SALDi 2020
2022
EGU General Assembly 2022. Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022
Zhang, Z., P. Laux, J. Arnault, J. Baade, M. Urban, C. Schmullius & H. Kunstmann (2022): Presentation of a high-resolution present-day joint atmosphere-land surface-hydrology simulation dataset for South Africa. EGU General Assembly 2022. Vienna. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-10349External link
ESA Living Planet Symposium, Bonn, Germany, 23–27 May 2022
Otte, I., S. Hill, A. Hirner, M. Urban, M. Kganyago, N. Mashiyi, A. Mlisa, M. Schwinger, M. Thiel, U. Gessner, C. Schmullius & J. Baade (2022): Development of earth observation data cubes for monitoring land degradation processes in South Africa, ESA Living Planet Symposium 2022. Bonn: ESA.
2021 (submitted)
2021 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, July 11 - 16 2021, Brussels, Belgium
Urban, M. A. Hirner, J. Ziemer, M. M. Mueller, U. Gessner, J. Baade, B. Mogonong, T. Morgenthal, G. Feig, A. Ramoelo, K. Heckel, H. S. Nghiyalwa & C. Schmullius (subm.): SENTINEL-1 AND SENTINEL-2 TIME SERIES BREAKPOINT DETECTION AS PART OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN LAND DEGRADATION MONITOR (SALDI).
European Geophysical Union (EGU) General Assembly 2021, 25 - 30 April, 2021, Vienna, Austria.
Session ITS2.9/SSS3: Land degradation in savanna environments - assessments, dynamics and implications | Virtual PICOConvener: Jussi Baade, Co-conveners: Jay J. Le Roux, Theunis Morgenthal, Hilma Nangula Nghiyalwa
Baade, J., Le Roux, J. J., Morgenthal, T., and Nghiyalwa, H. S. (2021): Land degradation in savanna environments - assessments, dynamics and implications, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-15264, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-15264External link
Baade, J., Schmullius, C., Urban, M., Kunstmann, H., Laux, P., Zhang, Z., Glotzbach, C., Gessner, U., Hirner, A., Kluter, P., Otte, I., Aucamp, I., Chirima, G., Abd Elbasit, M., Morgenthal, T., Smit, I., Strydom, T., Le Roux, J. J., von Maltitz, G., and Msibe, T. (2021): South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – An overview of recent advancements, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-12808. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-12808External link
Otte, I., Mashiyi, N., Kluter, P., Hill, S., Hirner, A., Eberle, J., Urban, M., Mlisa, A., Kganyago, M., Schwinger, M., Gessner, U., Schmullius, C., and Baade, J. (2021): Development of earth observation data cubes for monitoring land degradation processes in South Africa, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-14349. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14349External link
Schmullius, C., Urban, M., Heckel, K., Nghiyalwa, H. S., Hirner, A., Gessner, U., Ramoelo, A., Smit, I., Strydom, T., Chirima, G., Morgenthal, T., Feig, G., Mashiyi, N., Mlisa, A., and Baade, J. (2021): Earth Observation Strategies for degradation monitoring in South Africa with Sentinels – Results from the SPACES 2 SALDi-project , EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-15198. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-15198External link
Urban, M., Schellenberg, K., Morgenthal, T., Dubois, C., Hirner, A., Gessner, U., Zhang, Z., Mogonong, B., Baade, J., and Schmullius, C. (2021): Using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Time Series for Slangbos Encroachment Mapping in the Free State Province, South Africa, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-3004, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-3004External link
Zhang, Z., Laux, P., Arnault, J., Wei, J., Baade, J., Urban, M., and Kunstmann, H. (2021): Evaluating the role of soil physical properties on simulated land-atmosphere interactions over South Africa using coupled atmosphere-hydrological modeling, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-9418. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9418External link
Savanna Science Network Meeting 2021, 7 - 11 March 2021, Skukuza, Mpumalanga, South Africa (canceled on 2021-02-03)
Baade, J, A Kaiser, C Schmullius, C Thau, M Urban, TP Muumbe, HN Nghiyalwa, K Ndyamboti, U Gessner, A Hirner, IPJ Smit & T Strydom, T. (sub.): In situ Measurements on Land Surface Dynamics in Pristine Environments – CO-LD-EMS Second Years Activities.
Muumbe, TP, C Thau, M Urban, J Baade, T Strydom & C Schmullius, C (sub): Comparison of Tree Volume Reconstruction Algorithms to estimate Above Ground Biomass of Savanna Vegetation from TLS Point Clouds. (in cooperation with EMSAfrica)
Nghiyalwa HS, M Urban , J Henschel, H van der Merwe, G Feig, J Baade & C Schmullius (sub.): Multi-temporal metrics from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 to analyse mixed pixel in a savanna biome.
Ndyamboti, KS, J du Toit, A Kaiser, C Thau, M Urban, J Baade & C Schmullius (sub): Ultra-high spatial resolution UAV data as an alternative to field-data collection for upscaling savanna woody fractional vegetation cover in the Bushbuckridge area using Sentinel 1/2 data. (in cooperation with EMSAfrica).
Urban, M, K Heckel, J Baade, T Strydom, A Hirner, I P J Smit, U Gessner & C Schmullius (sub.): Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Surface Moisture and Vegetation Dynamics using Sentinel-1 & Sentinel-2 time series for the southern Kruger National Park and surrounding areas.
2020
SPACES II Virtual Midterm Meeting, 21 Oct. 2020
Baade, J on behalf of SALDi Consortium (2020): SALDi – South African Land Degradation Monitor Joint Project Status Report 2018-2020. (Oral presentation).
Baade, J, A Kaiser, M Geissler, C Schmullius, M Urban, H Kunstmann, P Laux, Z Zhang, C Glotzbach, U Gessner, A Hirner, H Asamer, I Aucamp, G Chirima, M Abd Elbasit, I Smit, T Strydom, A van Niekerk, J le Roux, M Cho, G von Maltitz, T Msibe, E Hahndiek, B Melly, T Morgenthal (2020): South African Land Degradation Monitor — A project overview. (Download Poster)pdf, 3 mb
The SALDi Consortium Team Members (2020): SALDi – South African Land Degradation Monitor Project Status Report 2018-2020. Additional material. (Download pdf-document, 9 MB)pdf, 9 mb · de
2020 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 26 Sep. - 2 Oct. 2020, Virtual Symposium (for extended abstracts see our publication list above)
Baade, J & C Schmullius (2020): Local Validation and Comparison of Global Digital Elevation Models using a Large Assembly of GNSS Ground Measurements.
Berger, C, H Lux, M Urban, C Schmullius, J Baade, C Thiel, C Wigley-Coetsee & I Smit (2020): Annual Grass Biomass Mapping with Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Data over Kruger National Park.
Ndyamboti, K, J du Toit, J Baade, A Kaiser, M Urban, C Schmullius, C Thiel, C Berger (2020): A multi-scale remote sensing approach to understanding vegetation dynamics in the Nama Karoo-Grassland ecotone of South Africa.
Schmullius, C, M Urban, A Hirner, C Berger, K Schellenberg, A Ramoelo, I Smit, T Strydom, G Chirima, T Morgenthal, B Melly, U Gessner & J Baade (2020): Earth Observation Strategies for Degradation Monitoring in South Africa with the Sentinels - Results from the SPACES II SALDi-Project.
European Geophysical Union (EGU) General Assembly 2020. EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online at a glance, 4 - 8 May 2020, Virtual Symposium
Baade, J, A Kaiser, M Geissler, C Schmullius, M Urban, H Kunstmann, P Laux, Z Zhang, C Glotzbach, U Gessner, A Hirner, H Asamer, I Aucamp, G Chirima, M Elbasit, I Smit, T Strydom, A van Niekerk, J le Roux, M A Cho, G von Maltitz & T Msibe (2020): South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – A German - South African SPACES collaboration to advance land degradation assessments. link to EGU2020-21870_presentation.pdfExternal link
Kaiser, A, M Geissler, J le Roux, M Stander, G van Zijl & J Baade (2020): Simulating heavy rainfall events for parameterizing a first application of the physically based soil erosion model EROSION3D in South Africa. link to EGU2020-18155_presentation.pdfExternal link
Zhang, Z, J Arnault, P Laux, J Baade & H Kunstmann (2020): Assessing the interactions of atmosphere and land surface over South Africa with convective-permitting coupled atmospheric-hydrological modeling. link to EGU2020-17772_presentation.pdfExternal link
Savanna Science Network Meeting 2020, 2 - 6 March 2020, Skukuza, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Baade, J, A Kaiser, M Geißler, C Schmullius, C Berger, M Urban, U Gessner, A Hirner, H Asamer, C Glotzbach, I P J Smit & T Strydom (2020): In situ Measurements on Land Surface Dynamics in Pristine Environments – CO-LD-EMS First Years Activities.
Geißler, M, H Cawthra, A Kaiser, G Daut & J Baade (2020): The connection between land use change and catchment scale soil erosion derived from reservoir siltation data across South Africa.
Kaiser, A, M Geißler, T Strydom & J Baade (2020): Rainfall and runoff experiments to learn about the erodibility of soils within the southern part of Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Schmullius, C, C Berger, M Urban, A Hirner, H Asamer, U Gessner, J Baade, A Kaiser, A Ramoelo, I P J Smit & T Strydom (2020): Earth Observation Strategies for Land Surface Dynamics in Pristine Environments - CO-LD-EMS 1st-Year Activities and Findings from Sentinel-1 and -2 Time-Series since 2015.
Urban, M, C Berger, K Heckel, J Baade, T Strydom, I P J Smit & C Schmullius (2020): Surface Moisture Monitoring using Sentinel-1 time series information and in situ data as part of the South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDi).
2019
Future Perspectives of Earth Observation, 2nd Symposium on applied Earth Observation Methods, 12 - 13 Nov. 2019, Cologne, Deutschland
Baade, J, A Kaiser, M Geißler, C Schmullius, M Urban, H Kunstmann, P Laux, Z Zhang, C Glotzbach, U Gessner, A Hirner, H Asamer, I Aucamp, G Chirima, MAM Abd Elbasit, I Smit, T Strydom, A van Niekerk, J Le Roux, MA Cho, G von Maltitz, T Msibe, E Hahndiek & B Melly (2019): South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – A new German - South African SPACES collaboration to advance land degradation assessments.
Urban, M, C Schmullius, K Heckel, C Berger, F Cremer, W Lück, T Strydom, IPJ Smit, B Melly & J Baade (2019): Monitoring Surface Moisture Dynamics as Part of a South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDi), Future Perspectives of Earth Observation,
2019 Biennial Conference of the Southern African Association of Geomorphologists (SAAG), 16 - 17 Sep. 2019, Chintsa, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Baade, J, A Kaiser, M Geißler, C Schmullius, M Urban, H Kunstmann, P Laux, C Glotzbach, U Gessner, A Hirner, H Asamer, I Aucamp, G Chirima, M A M Abd Elbasit, I Smit, T Strydom, A van Niekerk, J Le Roux, M A Cho, G von Maltitz, T Msibe & E Hahndiek (2019): South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – A new German - South African SPACES collaboration to advance land degradation assessments.
Geißler, M, G Daut, H Cawthra, A Kaiser & J Baade (2019): Reservoir siltation surveys as proxy for catchment scale soil erosion estimations.
Reinwarth, B., E S Ridell, R Petersen, C. Glotzbach, J le Roux & J Baade (2019): Reservoir siltation, contemporary erosion and longer term denudation in Kruger National Park – Final results.
Kaiser, A, M Geißler, M Stander, J le Roux, G van Zijl & J Baade (2019): First experiences with a physically-based erosion modelling approach in South African catchments using EROSION 3D.
ESA Living Planet Symposium, 13 - 17 May 2019, Milano, Italy
Heckel, K, M Urban, J S Bouffard, W Lück, M Norris-Rogers, C Berger & C Schmullius (2019): Creation of a very high-resolution Digital Surface Model of the Kruger National Park from CDNGI aerial imagery using PCI GXL.
Schmullius, C, U Gessner, J Baade, C Berger, M Urban, G Chirima & I P J Smit (2019): SALDI-EMSAfrica-COLDEMS: A Cooperative Remote Sensing Project between German and South African Partners.
Urban, M, C Berger, K Heckel, P Schratz & C Schmullius (2019): Woody Cover Classification in the Savanna Ecosystem of the Kruger National Park Using Sentinel-1 Time Series.
Urban, M, C Berger, T E Mudau, K Heckel, T Strydom, I P J Smit, J Baade & C Schmullius (2019): Surface Moisture Monitoring as part of a South African Degradation Monitor (SALDi) – early results.
Savanna Science Network Meeting 2019, 3 - 7 Mar. 2019, Skukuza, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Baade, J, C Schmullius, C Berger, U Gessner, C Glotzbach & T Strydom (2019): CO-LD-EMS – Remote sensing and Ground Truthing of Land Surface Dynamics in Pristine Environments – An Introduction.
Baade, J, C Schmullius, H Kunstmann, P Laux, C Glotzbach, U Gessner, I Aucamp, G Chirima, M Elbasit, I Smit, T Strydom, A van Niekerk, J Kemp, J Le Roux, R Mathieu & T Msibe (2019): South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – A new SPACES collaboration to advance land degradation assessments.
2018
4th National Conference on Global Change, 3 - 6 Dec. 2018, Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa
Baade, J, C Schmullius, H Kunstmann, P Laux, C Glotzbach, U Gessner, I Aucamp, G Chirima, M Elbasit, I Smit, T Strydom, A van Niekerk, J Kemp, J le Roux, R Mathieu & T Msibe (2018): South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – A new German – South African SPACES collaboration to advance land degradation assessments.
Report on SALDi in the Magazin Quest (2019)
The SALDi project was covered in a feature in the South African science magazine Quest, published by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF), in the issue 15/2 (2019) on pages 20ff. As the link to the magazine just provides a download option, we provide direct access to the feature on SALDipdf, 525 kb · de here.
This link provides access to an extended abstractpdf, 227 kb submitted to the Proceedings of the 4th National Conference on Global Change in Polokwane, South Africa, in December 2019.
SPACES II Newsletter
SPACES Newsletter Cover
Image: Thünen Institute
Unfortunately the SPACES II Newsletters has been suspended and the archive is no longer available..
SPACES II Brochure (June 2022)
Please follow the 'Learn more' link to the SPACES II homepage of the FONA programme at BMBF. There you can download the SPACES II Broschure in English language.
SALDi is one of the terrestrial SPACES (Science Partnership for the Adaptation to Complex Earth System Processes in Southern Africa) collaborative projects funded by the BMBF via the DLR project management agency. Our project partners are:
