Evaporative losses from a common reed-dominated peachleaf willow and cottonwood riparian plant community
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Date
2012
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Publisher
Water Resources Research
Abstract
Our study is one of the first to integrate and apply within-canopy radiation physics
parameters and scaling-up leaf-level stomatal resistace (rL) to canopy resistance (rc)
approach to quantify hourly transpiration (TRP) rates of individual riparian plant
species—common reed (Phragmites australis), peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides),
and cottonwood (Populus deltoides)— in a mixed riparian plant community in the Platte
River Basin in central Nebraska. Two experimental years (2009 and 2010) were contrasted
by warmer air temperature and presence of flood water in 2010. The seasonal average
rc values for common reed, peachleaf willow, and cottonwood in 2009 were 76, 70, and
107 s m 1, respectively. The corresponding rc values in the flood year (2010) were 70, 66,
and 105 s m 1 for the same species, respectively. In 2009, the seasonal total TRP for
common reed, peachleaf willow, and cottonwood were 483, 522, and 431 mm,
respectively. Corresponding TRP values in 2010 were greater as 550, 655, and 496 mm,
respectively. In 2009, TRP accounted for 64% of ETa during June–September, and the
proportion varied between 41% and 69% for most of the season. In 2010, TRP accounted
for 61% of ETa during June–September, and the proportion varied between 41% and 65%
for most of the season. The average surface evaporation rate of the riparian zone was
0.81 mm d 1 in 2009 and 1.70 mm d 1 in 2010. Seasonal evaporation was 160 mm in
2009 and 312 mm in 2010. The study provides a basis for understanding the dynamics of
transpiration for riparian vegetation in response to the environmental conditions and
provides valuable water use data for more complete water balance analyses by
accounting for the water use of riparian vegetation species.
Description
Keywords
Evaporative losses, Peachleaf willow, Cottonwood riparian plant community
Citation
Kabenge, I., and S. Irmak (2012), Evaporative losses from a common reed-dominated peachleaf willow and cottonwood riparian plant community, Water Resour. Res., 48, W09513, doi:10.1029/2012WR011902.