Testing the maximum entropy production approach for estimating evapotranspiration from closed canopy shrubland in a low‐energy humid environment |
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| Authors: | Hailong Wang Doerthe Tetzlaff Chris Soulsby |
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| Institution: | 1. Northern Rivers Institute, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK;2. IGB Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Germany;3. Department of Geography, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Quantifying and partitioning evapotranspiration (ET) into evaporation and transpiration is challenging but important for interpreting vegetation effects on the water balance. We applied a model based on the theory of maximum entropy production to estimate ET for shrubs for the first time in a low‐energy humid headwater catchment in the Scottish Highlands. In total, 53% of rainfall over the growing season was returned to the atmosphere through ET (59 ± 2% as transpiration), with 22% of rainfall ascribed to interception loss and understory ET. The remainder of rainfall percolated below the rooting zone. The maximum entropy production model showed good capability for total ET estimation, in addition to providing a first approximation for distinguishing evaporation and transpiration in such ecosystems. This study shows that this simple and low‐cost approach has potential for local to regional ET estimation with availability of high‐resolution hydroclimatic data. Limitations of the approach are also discussed. |
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| Keywords: | climate change evapotranspiration interception maximum entropy production northern uplands water balance |
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