An integrated Earth sensing sensorweb for improved crop and rangeland yield predictions

This paper outlines research and development towards an integrated Earth sensing sensorweb system for improved crop and rangeland yield predictions. The paper introduces the concepts of integrated Earth sensing and in situ sensorwebs and describes the key aspects and innovations of an intelligent sensorweb for integrated Earth sensing (ISIES). ISIES incorporates a sensorweb that provides automatic and continuous in situ measurements and advanced crop growth models and leading-edge sensorweb-enabled OpenGIS-compliant Web services. A key component of each in situ sensorweb node is SmartCore, a compact device developed to control sensor data traffic autonomously and to communicate wirelessly in two-way mode with the ISIES central server. The system server automatically integrates the in situ sensorweb data with remote sensing data and crop models to provide maps of leaf area index and soil moisture and biomass and improved predictions of crop and rangeland yield.