Models as multiple working hypotheses: hydrological simulation of tropical alpine wetlands

Tropical alpine grasslands, locally known as páramos, are the water towers of the northern Andes. They are an essential water source for drinking water, irrigation schemes and hydropower plants. But despite their high socio‐economic relevance, their hydrological processes are very poorly understood. Since environmental change, ranging from small scale land‐use changes to global climate change, is expected to have a strong impact on the hydrological behaviour, a better understanding and hydrological prediction are urgently needed. In this paper, we apply a set of nine hydrological models of different complexity to a small, well monitored upland catchment in the Ecuadorian Andes. The models represent different hypotheses on the hydrological functioning of the páramo ecosystem at catchment scale. Interpretation of the results of the model prediction and uncertainty analysis of the model parameters reveals important insights in the evapotranspiration, surface runoff generation and base flow in the páramo. However, problems with boundary conditions, particularly spatial variability of precipitation, pose serious constraints on the differentiation between model representations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative analysis of baseflow characteristics of two Andean catchments,Ecuador

Baseflow in the Andes is commonly considered to be related with the release of water stored in páramos. Páramo is the predominant ecosystem above 3500 m a.s.l. and is characterized by a rainy and cold climate with low evapotranspiration. However, this baseflow concept is based on hydrological process studies in small Andean catchments of a few square kilometre with a homogeneous land cover. Middle‐sized Andean catchments, like the subcatchments of Tarqui and Yanuncay, Ecuador, are rarely homogeneous or uniformly covered by páramo. The objectives of this study are therefore to investigate baseflow characteristics in heterogeneous Andean catchments and to identify relationships between baseflow processes and physical characteristics such as storage and recharge. Hereby, the contribution to baseflow of páramo and other sources such as alluvial aquifers is quantified. This study uses nonlinear recession analysis, physically based filters and digital filters for comparison of baseflow of neighbouring but distinct subcatchments. The Yanuncay subcatchment shows a clearly different storage capacity and recession. The storage capacity of Yanuncay is 50% higher than for Tarqui because of its higher coverage of páramo. On the other hand, considerable storage capacity has also been found in the Tarqui subcatchment, which has a limited páramo area but a significant alluvial aquifer. It is shown that improved understanding of the specific baseflow characteristics such as storage and recharge and its relationships to the heterogeneity of the land cover in Andean catchments will lead to a better assessment of the water resources and give new insights for effective management actions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of land cover and hydro‐meteorological controls on soil water DOC concentrations in a high‐elevation tropical environment

Páramo soils store high amounts of organic carbon. However, the effects of climate change and changes in land cover and use (LC/LU) in this high‐elevation tropical ecosystem may cause a decrease in their carbon storage capacity. Therefore, better understanding of the factors influencing the Páramo soils' carbon storage and export is urgently needed. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the differences in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content in the soil water of four LC/LU types (tussock grass, natural forest, pine plantations, and pasture) and the factors controlling its variability in the Quinuas Ecohydrological Observatory in south Ecuador. Weekly measurements of soil water DOC concentrations, meteorological variables, soil water content, and temperature from various depths and slope positions were monitored within the soils' organic and mineral horizons between October 2014 and January 2017. These data were used to generate regression trees and random forest statistical models to identify the factors controlling soil water DOC concentrations. From high to low concentrations, natural forest depict the highest DOC concentrations followed by pasture, tussock grass, and pine forest. For all LC/LU types, DOC concentrations increase with decreasing soil moisture. Our results also show that LC/LU is the most important predictor of soil water DOC concentrations, followed by sampling depth and soil moisture. Interestingly, atmospheric variables and antecedent evapotranspiration and precipitation conditions show only little influence on DOC concentrations during the monitoring period. Our findings provide unique information that can help improve the management of soil and water resources in the Páramo and other peat dominated ecosystems elsewhere.     

A modified trapezoid framework model for partitioning regional evapotranspiration

While evapotranspiration (ET) is normally measured as one hydrologic component, evaporation (E), and transpiration (T) result from different physical-biological processes. Using a two-source model, a trapezoid framework has been widely applied in recent years. The key to applying the trapezoid framework model is the determination of the dry/wet boundaries of the land surface temperature-fractional vegetation coverage trapezoid (LST-f_c). Although algorithms have been developed to characterize the two boundaries, there remains a significant uncertainty near the wet boundary which scatters in a discrete and uneven manner. It is therefore difficult to precisely locate the wet boundary. To address this problem, a Wet Boundary Algorithm (WBA) was developed in this study with the algorithm applied in the region of Huang-Huai-Hai plain of China, using the Pixel Component Arranging and Comparing Algorithm (PCACA) to retrieve ET from MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Data. The eddy covariance (EC) measurements from Yucheng station was used to verify the modified model where the root mean square error (RMSE) of 17.8 W/m², Bias of −7.2 W/m² for latent heat flux (LE) simulation in 28 cloudless test days. The ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration (T/ET) varied between 0.48 and 0.81 over the Huang-Huai-Hai plain. The spatial and temporal distribution of ET revealed that agriculture practices have a significant influence on the hydrological cycle, where crop growth promotes the magnitude of ET. Likewise, harvesting activities significantly reduce ET. The proposed WBA algorithm significantly reduces the uncertainty of the trapezoid ET model caused by wet edge positioning. The analysis of the impact of agricultural activities on ET provide a better understanding how human activities change the hydrological cycle at regional scales.     

Comparison of tree transpiration under wet and dry canopy conditions in a Costa Rican premontane tropical forest

Spatial and temporal variation in wet canopy conditions following precipitation events can influence processes such as transpiration and photosynthesis, which can be further enhanced as upper canopy leaves dry more rapidly than the understory following each event. As part of a larger study aimed at improving land surface modelling of evapotranspiration processes in wet tropical forests, we compared transpiration among trees with exposed and shaded crowns under both wet and dry canopy conditions in central Costa Rica, which has an average 4200 mm annual rainfall. Transpiration was estimated for 5 months using 43 sap flux sensors in eight dominant, ten midstory and eight suppressed trees in a mature forest stand surrounding a 40‐m tower equipped with micrometeorological sensors. Dominant trees were 13% of the plot's trees and contributed around 76% to total transpiration at this site, whereas midstory and suppressed trees contributed 18 and 5%, respectively. After accounting for vapour pressure deficit and solar radiation, leaf wetness was a significant driver of sap flux, reducing it by as much as 28%. Under dry conditions, sap flux rates (J_s) of dominant trees were similar to midstory trees and were almost double that of suppressed trees. On wet days, all trees had similarly low J_s. As expected, semi‐dry conditions (dry upper canopy) led to higher J_s in dominant trees than midstory, which had wetter leaves, but semi‐dry conditions only reduced total stand transpiration slightly and did not change the relative proportion of transpiration from dominant and midstory. Therefore, models that better capture forest stand wet–dry canopy dynamics and individual tree water use strategies are needed to improve accuracy of predictions of water recycling over tropical forests. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evapotranspiration response to multiyear dry periods in the semiarid western United States

Analysis of measured evapotranspiration shows that subsurface plant‐accessible water storage (PAWS) can sustain evapotranspiration through multiyear dry periods. Measurements at 25 flux tower sites in the semiarid western United States, distributed across five land cover types, show both resistance and vulnerability to multiyear dry periods. Average (±standard deviation) evapotranspiration ranged from 660 ± 230 mm yr^?1 (October–September) in evergreen needleleaf forests to 310 ± 200 mm yr^?1 in grasslands and shrublands. More than 52% of the annual evapotranspiration in Mediterranean climates is supported on average by seasonal drawdown of subsurface PAWS, versus 29% in monsoon‐influenced climates. Snowmelt replenishes dry‐season PAWS by as much as 20% at sites with significant seasonal snow accumulation but was insignificant at most sites. Evapotranspiration exceeded precipitation in more than half of the observation years at sites below 35°N. Annual evapotranspiration at non‐energy‐limited sites increased with precipitation, reaching a mean wet‐year evapotranspiration of 833 mm for evergreen needleleaf forests, 861 mm for mixed forests, 558 mm for woody savannas, 367 mm for grasslands, and 254 mm for shrublands. Thirteen sites experienced at least one multiyear dry period, when mean precipitation was more than one standard deviation below the historical mean. All vegetation types except evergreen needleleaf forests responded to multiyear dry periods by lowering evapotranspiration and/or significant year‐over‐year depletion of subsurface PAWS. Sites maintained wet‐year evapotranspiration rates for 8–33 months before attenuation, with a corresponding net PAWS drawdown of as much as 334 mm. Net drawdown at many sites continued until the dry period ended, resulting in an overall cumulative withdrawal of as much as 558 mm. Evergreen needleleaf forests maintained high evapotranspiration during multiyear dry periods with no apparent PAWS drawdown; these forests currently avoid drought but may prove vulnerable to longer and warmer dry periods that reduce snowpack storage and accelerate evapotranspiration.     

Evapotranspiration and water source of a tropical rainforest in peninsular Malaysia

To evaluate water use and the supporting water source of a tropical rainforest, a 4‐year assessment of evapotranspiration (ET) was conducted in Pasoh Forest Reserve, a lowland dipterocarp forest in Peninsular Malaysia. The eddy covariance method and isotope signals of rain, plant, soil, and stream waters were used to determine forest water sources under different moisture conditions. Four sampling events were conducted to collect soil and plant twig samples in wet, moderate, dry, and very dry conditions for the identification of isotopic signals. Annual ET from 2012 to 2015 was quite stable with an average of 1,182 ± 26 mm, and a substantial daily ET was observed even during drought periods, although some decline was observed, corresponding with volumetric soil water content. During the wet period, water for ET was supplied from the surface soil layer between 0 and 0.5 m, whereas in the dry period, approximately 50% to 90% was supplied from the deeper soil layer below 0.5‐m depth, originating from water precipitated several months previously at this forest. Isotope signatures demonstrated that the water sources of the plants, soil, and stream were all different. Water in plants was often different from soil water, probably because plant water came from a different source than water that was strongly bound to the soil particles. Plants showed no preference for soil depth with their size, whereas the existence of storage water in the xylem was suggested. The evapotranspiration at this forest is balanced and maintained using most of the available water sources except for a proportion of rapid response run‐off.     

Impacts of hydraulic redistribution on eco-hydrological cycles: A case study over the Amazon basin

Hydraulic redistribution(HR)refers to the process of soil water transport through the low-resistance pathway provided by plant roots.It has been observed in field studies and proposed to be one of the processes that enable plants to resist water limitations.However,most land-surface models(LSMs)currently do not include this underground root process.In this study,a HR scheme was incorporated into the Community Land Model version 4.5(CLM4.5)to investigate the effect of HR on the eco-hydrological cycle.Two paired numerical simulations(with and without the new HR scheme)were conducted for the Tapajos National Forest km83(BRSa3)site and the Amazon.Simulations for the BRSa3 site in the Amazon showed that HR during the wet season was small,0.1 mm day~(–1),transferring water from shallow wet layers to deep dry layers at night;however,HR in the dry season was more obvious,up to 0.3 mm day~(–1),transferring water from deep wet layers to shallow dry layers at night.By incorporating HR into CLM4.5,the new model increased gross primary production(GPP)and evapotranspiration(ET)by 10%and 15%,respectively,at the BRSa3 site,partly overcoming the underestimation.For the Amazon,regional analysis also revealed that vegetation responses(including GPP and ET)to seasonal drought and the severe drought of 2005 were better captured with the HR scheme incorporated.     

Seasonal ground ice impacts on spring ecohydrological conditions in a western boreal plains peatland

Peatlands in the Western Boreal Plains act as important water sources in the landscape. Their persistence, despite potential evapotranspiration (PET) often exceeding annual precipitation, is attributed to various water storage mechanisms. One storage element that has been understudied is seasonal ground ice (SGI). This study characterized spring SGI conditions and explored its impacts on available energy, actual evapotranspiration, water table, and near surface soil moisture in a western boreal plains peatland. The majority of SGI melt took place over May 2017. Microtopography had limited impact on melt rates due to wet conditions. SGI melt released 139mm in ice water equivalent (IWE) within the top 30cm of the peat, and weak significant relationships with water table and surface moisture suggest that SGI could be important for maintaining vegetation transpiration during dry springs. Melting SGI decreased available energy causing small reductions in PET (<10mm over the melt period) and appeared to reduce actual evapotranspiration variability but not mean rates, likely due to slow melt rates. This suggests that melting SGI supplies water, allowing evapotranspiration to occur at near potential rates, but reduces the overall rate at which evapotranspiration could occur (PET). The role of SGI may help peatlands in headwater catchments act as a conveyor of water to downstream landscapes during the spring while acting as a supply of water for the peatland. Future work should investigate SGI influences on evapotranspiration under differing peatland types, wet and dry spring conditions, and if the spatial variability of SGI melt leads to spatial variability in evapotranspiration.     

Long‐term variability in the water budget and its controls in an oak‐dominated temperate forest

Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that control ecosystem functions in temperate forests. Changing climate is likely to alter the ecohydrology and other ecosystem processes, which affect forest structures and functions. We constructed a multi‐year water budget (2004–2010) and quantified environmental controls on an evapotranspiration (ET) in a 70‐year‐old mixed‐oak woodland forest in northwest Ohio, USA. ET was measured using the eddy‐covariance technique along with precipitation (P), soil volumetric water content (VWC), and shallow groundwater table fluctuation. Three biophysical models were constructed and validated to calculate potential ET (PET) for developing predictive monthly ET models. We found that the annual variability in ET was relatively stable and ranged from 578 mm in 2009 to 670 mm in 2010. In contrast, ET/P was more variable and ranged from 0.60 in 2006 to 0.96 in 2010. Mean annual ET/PET_FAO was 0.64, whereas the mean annual PET_FAO/P was 1.15. Annual ET/PET_FAO was relatively stable and ranged from 0.60 in 2005 to 0.72 in 2004. Soil water storage and shallow groundwater recharge during the non‐growing season were essential in supplying ET during the growing season when ET exceeded P. Spring leaf area index (LAI), summer photosynthetically active radiation, and autumn and winter air temperatures (T_a) were the most significant controls of monthly ET. Moreover, LAI regulated ET during the whole growing season and higher temperatures increased ET even during dry periods. Our empirical modelling showed that the interaction of LAI and PET explained >90% of the variability in measured ET. Altogether, we found that increases in T_a and shifts in P distribution are likely to impact forest hydrology by altering shallow groundwater fluctuations, soil water storage, and ET and, consequently, alter the ecosystem functions of temperate forests. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transpiration and evaporation of grassland using land surface modelling

Partitioning transpiration (T) from evapotranspiration (ET) is a key process for understanding the interaction between land surfaces and the atmosphere. This paper reports daily partitioning results for a grassland over a 10-year period, obtained using the Community Land Model 3.5 (CLM3.5) land surface model. Hourly forcing data were collected from a long-term observation system located in the northeast of Japan ( http://doi.org/10.24575/0001.198108 ). To test the model behavior, total ET was validated using eddy correlation measurements combined with the energy balance method. The results were compared with previous research using an isotope approach for partitioning. The results demonstrate that our model can capture the dynamics of ET and its components at this location. Evaporation (E), originating from the ground and canopy, varied inter-annually, and from 2006 to 2015, average annual E was approximately 285 mm/year from the ground and 45 mm/year from the canopy. Average, T, was approximately 302 mm/year, accounting for approximately 48% of the total ET. Inter-annual results demonstrate that the water flux transported by vegetation ranges from 17 to 83% during the April–October period. A sensitivity test conducted with forcing data indicates air temperature, incident solar radiation, and longwave radiation exhibited a notable effect on all ET components. Relative humidity exhibited the only negative feedback to both evaporation and transpiration, contrary to the other forcing parameters. Our study reemphasized the effectiveness of CLM3.5 in partitioning T from ET and in understanding the complex interaction between land surfaces and the atmosphere.     

Assessing the effects of forest biomass reductions on forest health and streamflow

Forest biomass reductions in overgrown forests have the potential to provide hydrologic benefits in the form of improved forest health and increased streamflow production in water-limited systems. Biomass reductions may also alter evaporation. These changes are generated when water that previously would have been transpired or evaporated from the canopy of the removed vegetation is transferred to transpiration of the remaining vegetation, streamflow, and/or non-canopy evaporation. In this study, we combined a new vegetation-change water-balance approach with lumped hydrologic modelling outputs to examine the effects of forest biomass reductions on transpiration of the remaining vegetation and streamflow in California's Sierra Nevada. We found that on average, 102 mm and 263 mm (8.0% and 20.6% of mean annual precipitation [MAP]) of water were made available following 20% and 50% forest biomass-reduction scenarios, respectively. This water was then partitioned to both streamflow and transpiration of the remaining forest, but to varying degrees depending on post-biomass-reduction precipitation levels and forest biomass-reduction intensity. During dry periods, most of the water (approximately 200 mm [15.7% on MAP] for the 50% biomass-reduction scenario) was partitioned to transpiration of the remaining trees, while less than 50 mm (3.9% on MAP) was partitioned to streamflow. This increase in transpiration during dry periods would likely help trees maintain forest productivity and resistance to drought. During wet periods, the hydrologic benefits of forest biomass reductions shifted to streamflow (200 mm [15.7% on MAP]) and away from transpiration (less than 150 mm [11.8% on MAP]) as the remaining trees became less water stressed. We also found that streamflow benefits per unit of forest biomass reduction increased with biomass-reduction intensity, whereas transpiration benefits decreased. By accounting for changes in vegetation, the vegetation-change water balance developed in this study provided an improved assessment of watershed-scale forest health benefits associated with forest biomass reductions.     

A simple temperature method for the estimation of evapotranspiration

Accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is essential in water resources management and hydrological practices. Estimation of ET in areas, where adequate meteorological data are not available, is one of the challenges faced by water resource managers. Hence, a simplified approach, which is less data intensive, is crucial. The FAO‐56 Penman–Monteith (FAO‐56 PM) is a sole global standard method, but it requires numerous weather data for the estimation of reference ET. A new simple temperature method is developed, which uses only maximum temperature data to estimate ET. Ten class I weather stations data were collected from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia. This method was compared with the global standard PM method, the observed Piche evaporimeter data, and the well‐known Hargreaves (HAR) temperature method. The coefficient of determination (R²) of the new method was as high as 0.74, 0.75, and 0.91, when compared with that of PM reference evapotranspiration (ET_o), Piche evaporimeter data, and HAR methods, respectively. The annual average R² over the ten stations when compared with PM, Piche, and HAR methods were 0.65, 0.67, and 0.84, respectively. The Nash–Sutcliff efficiency of the new method compared with that of PM was as high as 0.67. The method was able to estimate daily ET with an average root mean square error and an average absolute mean error of 0.59 and 0.47 mm, respectively, from the PM ET_o method. The method was also tested in dry and wet seasons and found to perform well in both seasons. The average R² of the new method with the HAR method was 0.82 and 0.84 in dry and wet seasons, respectively. During validation, the average R² and Nash–Sutcliff values when compared with Piche evaporation were 0.67 and 0.51, respectively. The method could be used for the estimation of daily ET_o where there are insufficient data. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Contribution of occult precipitation to the water balance of páramo ecosystems in the Colombian Andes

Páramos are high‐altitudinal neotropical ecosystems located in the upper regions of the northern Andes. Their hydrology is characterized by an extraordinarily high run‐off ratio. One major contributing mechanism is thought to be fog occurrence, which is common in the páramos and occurs by the cooling of near‐surface moist air, as it is forced to higher elevations by topography. However, field‐based observations and quantification of this flux are rare. We present results of monitoring of occult precipitation, understood as the combination of fog and drizzle inputs, combined with meteorological and soil moisture monitoring for periods between 7 to 17 months in 6 sites distributed over 3 páramos catchments in Colombia: three sites in Romerales (Quindío), two in Chingaza (Cundinamarca), and one in Belmira (Antioquia). Occult precipitation inputs were measured with cylindrical fog gauges with a cover on top. We estimate occult precipitation inputs to add between 7% and 28% to rainfall inputs in the study sites. Our results also show that occult precipitation has a large temporal and spatial variability, both within one site and between sites, which make it difficult to upscale and quantify at a catchment scale. Nevertheless, occult precipitation can be important for downstream water supply given that these inputs are especially concentrated during periods with low rainfall. Lastly, we also find evidence for an increase in soil moisture related to occult precipitation during a dry period in Romerales páramo.     

A new approach to estimate canopy evaporation and canopy interception capacity from evapotranspiration and sap flow measurements during and following wetting

Canopy interception and its evaporation into the atmosphere during irrigation or a rainfall event are important in irrigation scheduling, but are challenging to estimate using conventional methods. This study introduces a new approach to estimate the canopy interception from measurements of actual total evapotranspiration (ET) using eddy covariance and estimation of the transpiration from measurements of sap flow. The measurements were conducted over a small‐scale sprinkler‐irrigated cotton field before, during and after sprinkler irrigation. Evaporation and sap flow dynamics during irrigation show that the total ET during irrigation increased significantly because of the evaporation of free intercepted water while transpiration was suppressed almost completely. The difference between actual ET and transpiration (sap flow) during and immediately following irrigation (post irrigation) represents the total canopy evaporation while the canopy interception capacity was calculated as the difference between actual ET and transpiration (sap flow) during drying (post irrigation) following cessation of the irrigation. The canopy evaporation of cotton canopy was calculated as 0.8 mm, and the interception capacity was estimated to be 0.31 mm of water. The measurement uncertainty in both the non‐dimensional ET and non‐dimensional sap flow was shown to be very low. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Growing season evapotranspiration in boreal fens in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region: Variability and environmental controls

Current efforts to assess changes to the wetland hydrology caused by growing anthropogenic pressures in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) require well-founded spatial and temporal estimates of actual evapotranspiration (ET), which is the dominant component of the water budget in this region. This study assessed growing season (May–September) and peak growing season (July) ET variability at a treed moderate-rich fen and treed poor fen (in 2013–2018), open poor fen (in 2011–2014), and saline fen (in 2015–2018) using eddy covariance technique and a set of complementary environmental data. Seasonal fluctuations in ET were positively related to net radiation, air temperature and vapour pressure deficit and followed trends typical for the Boreal Plains (BP) and AOSR with highest rates in June–July. However, no strong effect of water table position on ET was found. Strong surface control on ET is evident from lower ET values than potential evapotranspiration (PET); the lowest ET/PET was observed at saline fen, followed by open fen, moderately treed fen, and heavily treed fen, suggesting a strong influence of vegetation on water loss. In most years PET exceeded precipitation (P), and positive relations between P/PET and ET were observed with the highest July ET rates occurring under P/PET ~1. However, during months with P/PET > 1, increased P/PET was associated with decreased July ET. With respect to 30-year mean values of air temperature and P in the area, both dry and wet, cool and warm growing seasons (GS) were observed. No clear trends between ET values and GS wetness/coldness were found, but all wet GS were characterized by peak growing seasons with high daily ET variability.     

Using bromide data tracer and HYDRUS-1D to estimate groundwater recharge and evapotranspiration under film-mulched drip irrigation in an arid Inland Basin,Northwest China

Accurate estimation of groundwater recharge (GR) and evapotranspiration (ET) are essential for sustainable management of groundwater resources, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In the Manas River Basin (MRB), water shortage is the main factor restricting sustainable development of irrigated agriculture, which relies heavily on groundwater. Film-mulched drip irrigation significantly changes the pattern and dominant processes of water flow in the unsaturated zone, which increases the difficulty of GR and ET estimation. To better estimate GR and ET under film-mulched drip irrigation in the MRB, bromide tracer tests and soil lithologic investigation were conducted at 12 representative sites. A one-dimensional variably saturated flow model (HYDRUS-1D) was calibrated at each site using soil evaporation data inferred from the bromide tracer tests. The results showed that average annual soil evaporation in uncultivated lands calculated from bromide trace tests was 25.55 mm. The annual GR ranged from 5.5 to 37.0 mm under film-mulched drip irrigation. The annual ET ranged from 507.0 to 747.1 mm, with soil evaporation between 35.7 and 117.0 mm and transpiration between 460.9 and 642.3 mm. Soil evaporation represented 7% to 16% of the total ET and more than 70% of precipitation and irrigation water was used by cotton plants. Spatial variations of soil lithology, water table depth and initial soil water content led to the spatial differences of GR and ET in the MRB. Our study indicated that bromide tracer tests are useful for inferring ET in the arid and semi-arid oases. The combination of bromide tracer tests and HYDRUS-1D enhances reliability for estimation of GR and ET under film-mulched drip irrigation in the MRB and shows promise for other similar arid inland basins around the world.     

Variability of tree transpiration across three zones in a southeastern U.S. Piedmont watershed

Quantifying the spatial variability of species-specific tree transpiration across hillslopes is important for estimating watershed-scale evapotranspiration (ET) and predicting spatial drought effects on vegetation. The objectives of this study are to (1) assess sap flux density (J_s) and tree-level transpiration (T_s) across three contrasting zones a (riparian buffer, mid-hillslope and upland-hillslope, (2) determine how species-specific J_s responds to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and (3) estimate watershed-level transpiration (T_w) using T_s derived from each zone. During 2015 and 2016, we measured J_s in eight tree species in the three topographic zones in a small 12-ha forested watershed in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina. In the dry year of 2015, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) J_s rates were significantly higher in the riparian buffer when compared to the other two zones. In contrast, J_s rates in tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and red maple (Acer rubrum) were significantly lower in the buffer than in the mid-hillslope. Daily T_s varied by zone and ranged from 10 to 93 L/day in the dry year and from 9 to 122 L/day in the wet year (2016). J_s responded nonlinearly to VPD in all species and zones. Annual T_w was 447, 377 and 340 mm based on scaled-J_s data for the buffer, mid-hillslope and upland-hillslope, respectively. We conclude that large spatial variability in J_s and scaled T_w was driven by differences in soil moisture at each zone and forest composition. Consequently, spatial heterogeneity of vegetation and soil moisture must be considered when accurately quantifying watershed level ET.     

Does canopy wetness matter? Evapotranspiration from a subtropical montane cloud forest in Taiwan

Evapotranspiration (ET) and canopy wetness were measured over a 2‐year intensive field campaign at the Chi‐Lan Mountain cloud forest site in Taiwan. Eddy covariance and sap flow methods were applied to measure ET and tree sap flow of the endemic yellow cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana). ET was 553 mm yr^?1 over the study period with an annual rainfall and fog deposition of 4893 and 288 mm yr^–1, respectively. The duration of canopy wetness exceeded actual fog or rain events (mostly in the afternoon), and the intercepted water was evaporated later in the following dry morning. The cumulative wet duration accounted for 52% of time over the study period, which was longer than the duration of rainfall and fog altogether (41%). As it adapted to the extremely moist environment, the yellow cypress behaved in a wet‐enhanced/dry‐reduced water use strategy and was sensitive to short periods of dry atmosphere with high evaporation potential. During dry days, the sap flow rate rose quickly after dawn and led to conservative water use through midday and the afternoon. During periodically wet days, the canopy was mostly wetted in the morning, and the interception evaporation contributed largely to the morning ET. The initiation of morning sap flow was postponed 1–3 h, and the sap flow rate tended to peak later at midday. The midday canopy conductance was higher in the periodically wet days (10.6 mm s^–1) as compared with 7.6 mm s^?1 in the dry days. Consequently, the dry‐reduced water use strategy led to much lower annual ET with respect to the available energy (~46%) and high precipitation input (~11%). The moist‐adapted ecohydrology we report reveals the vulnerability of montane cloud forests to prolonged fog‐free periods. More research is urgently needed to better understand the resilience of these ecosystems and formulate adaptive management plans. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.