Evaluation of remote sensing-based evapotranspiration products at low-latitude eddy covariance sites

Salazar-Martínez, Diego; Holwerda, F.; Holmes, Thomas; Yépez, Enrico A.; Hain, Christopher; Alvarado-Barrientos, M. Susana; Ángeles‐Pérez, Gregorio; Arredondo-Moreno, Tulio; Delgado-Balbuena, Josué; Figueroa-Espinoza, Bernardo; Garatuza‐Payán, Jaime; Castillo, Eugenia González del; Rojas‐Robles, Nidia E.; Uuh-Sonda, J. M.; Vivoni, E. R.

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127786

Cited by 25 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 110 publications

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“…for areas of relatively limited spatial extensions, ca. 1 km², ET measurements (Mu et al, 2011;Salazar-Martínez et al, 2022). However, generally flux tower data have a lack of energy balance closure, that is the difference between net radiation and ground heat flux is sometimes greater than the sum of the turbulent latent and sensible heat fluxes, an error that can be in the range of 10-30% (Wilson et al, 2002;Foken, 2008;Allen et al, 2011).…”

Section: Comparison Of Steep Model Estimates With Global Evapotranspi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

STEEP: a remotely-sensed energy balance model for evapotranspiration estimation in seasonally dry tropical forests

Bezerra¹,

Cunha²,

Falente³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Improvement of evapotranspiration (ET) estimates using remote sensing (RS) products based on multispectral and thermal sensors has been a breakthrough in hydrological research. In large-scale applications, methods that use the approach of RS-based surface energy balance (SEB) models often rely on oversimplifications of the aerodynamic resistances. The use of these SEB models for Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) has been challenging due to incompatibilities between the assumptions underlying those models and the specificities of this environment, such as the highly contrasting phenological phases or ET is mainly controlled by soil–water availability. We developed a RS-based SEB model from a one-source bulk transfer equation, called STEEP. Our model uses the Plant Area Index to represent the woody structure of the plants in calculating the moment roughness length. In the aerodynamic resistance for heat transfer, the parameter kB-1 was included, correcting it with RS soil moisture. Besides, the remaining λET in endmembers pixels was quantified using the Priestley-Taylor equation. We implemented the STEEP algorithm on the Google Earth Engine platform, using worldwide free data. Four sites with eddy covariance data located in the Caatinga, the largest SDTF in South America, in the Brazilian semiarid region, were used to evaluate the STEEP model. Our results show that STEEP based on the specific characteristics of the SDTF increased the accuracy of ET estimates without requiring any additional climatological information. This improvement is more pronounced during the dry season, which in general, ET for these SDTF is overestimated by traditional SEB models, as happened in our research with the SEBAL. The STEEP model had similar or superior behaviour and performance statistics relative to global ET products (MOD16 and PMLv2). This work contributes to an improved understanding of the drivers and modulators of the energy and water balances at local and regional scales in SDTF.

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Section: Comparison Of Steep Model Estimates With Global Evapotranspi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

STEEP: a remotely-sensed energy balance model for evapotranspiration estimation in seasonally dry tropical forests

Bezerra¹,

Cunha²,

Falente³

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…for areas of relatively limited spatial extensions, ca. 10 km², ET measurements (Mu et al, 2011;Chu et al, 2021;Salazar-Martínez et al, 2022). However, generally flux tower data have a lack of energy balance closure, that is the difference between net radiation and ground heat flux is sometimes greater than the sum of the turbulent latent and sensible heat fluxes, an error that can be in the of 10-30% range (Wilson et al, 2002;Foken, 2008;Allen et al, 2011).…”

Section: Comparison Of Steep Model Estimates With Global Evapotranspi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

STEEP: A remotely-sensed energy balance model for evapotranspiration estimation in seasonally dry tropical forests

Bezerra

Cunha

Valente

et al. 2023

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology

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“…Our capacity to measure, monitor, and model environmental change in situ is greater than ever nowadays, including the remote sensing of soil moisture [206] and vegetation water use [207,208]. Further, sophisticated models and observations allow for more accurate descriptions of seasonal changes in dominant atmospheric moisture transport pathways and precipitation source areas, while stable water isotope measurements of precipitation allow tracing of water sources (terrestrial versus oceanic) and the dominant rainfall generating mechanism (convective versus orographic) [209][210][211][212].…”

Section: Research Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential for Improved Hydrological Functioning and Stream Baseflows through Forest Landscape Restoration in the Tropics

Bruijnzeel¹,

Peña‐Arancibia²,

Ziegler³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The large areas being targeted for tropical forest restoration as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration will have major consequences for the flow of water through landscapes. Whilst the prevailing mantra that ‘more forest implies less streamflow’ remains true in terms of annual water yields, we demonstrate that opportunities for increased tree cover to improve seasonal flow regimes of streams, particularly baseflows, are important. We discuss several potential positive feedbacks of forest restoration on hydrological processes at various scales, including ‘trade-offs’ between changes in vegetation water use and infiltration after foresting degraded land; the recovery of the capacity of vegetation to capture ‘occult’ precipitation in specific coastal and montane settings; and enhanced moisture recycling and transport at various scales. Modelled changes in baseflow after foresting all degraded land climatically capable of carrying forest in the tropics suggested a positive effect in 10% of the land. For an additional 8%, the effect was predicted to be about neutral (<2 mm/y). We conclude that a more positive narrative regarding the relationship between tropical forestation and water availability is justified. It is time for greater involvement of hydrologists and atmospheric scientists in the development and assessment of forest landscape restoration efforts.

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Evaluation of remote sensing-based evapotranspiration products at low-latitude eddy covariance sites

Cited by 25 publications

References 110 publications

STEEP: a remotely-sensed energy balance model for evapotranspiration estimation in seasonally dry tropical forests

STEEP: a remotely-sensed energy balance model for evapotranspiration estimation in seasonally dry tropical forests

STEEP: A remotely-sensed energy balance model for evapotranspiration estimation in seasonally dry tropical forests

Potential for Improved Hydrological Functioning and Stream Baseflows through Forest Landscape Restoration in the Tropics

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