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The influence of rainfall distribution in numerical simulation of evapotranspiration from a multilayer model pine canopy
Author(s) -
Cooper T. A.,
Lockwood J. G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr023i008p01645
Subject(s) - evapotranspiration , environmental science , interception , canopy interception , canopy , water balance , hydrology (agriculture) , atmospheric sciences , potential evaporation , throughfall , soil water , soil science , geology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology
A multilayer canopy model is used to simulate the water balance of a pine forest. The role of advected energy in sustaining evapotranspiration from tall canopies in low‐radiation environments is reproduced. The surface water balance of temperate forested areas is not necessarily dominated by evapotranspiration in conditions of high radiation receipt. Interception loss is greater where the rainfall regime consists of shorter events, since long‐duration storms tend to fully saturate the canopy. The achievement of the potential evaporation rate and the onset of drainage then combine to limit interception loss totals. This result is important in considering the possible effect of climatic change on water resources. Catchment yield may be as sensitive to the temporal distribution of rainfall as to seasonal or annual totals.