Ecohydrology-a challenging multidisciplinary research perspective / Ecohydrologie: une perspective stimulante de recherche multidisciplinaire |
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| Authors: | AMILCARE PORPORATO IGNACIO RODRIGUEZ-ITURBE |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Hydraulics , Transport and Civil Infrastructures , Polytechnic of Turin, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 1-10129, Turin, Italy E-mail: porporato@polito.it;2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Princeton Environmental Institute , Princeton University , Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, USA |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Ecohydrology is the science that studies the mutual interaction between the hydrological cycle and ecosystems. Such an interaction is especially intense in water-controlled ecosystems, where water may be a limiting factor, not only because of its scarcity, but also because of its intermittent and unpredictable appearance. Soil moisture is the key variable modulating the complex dynamics of the climate-soil-vegetation system and controlling the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation. In this note the authors' perspective to the field is discussed and some open questions are outlined. |
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| Keywords: | ecohydrology climate-soil-vegetation ecosystems system dynamics disturbances scale problems |
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