Modelling interception loss from evergreen oak Mediterranean savannas: Application of a tree-based modelling approach
Pereira, F.L.; Gash, J.H.C. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9634-2619; David, J.S.; David, T.S.; Monteiro, P.R.; Valente, F..
2009
Modelling interception loss from evergreen oak Mediterranean savannas: Application of a tree-based modelling approach.
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 149 (3-4).
680-688.
10.1016/j.agrformet.2008.10.014
Abstract/Summary
In a previous study, it was shown that an isolated, fully saturated tree-crown behaves like a wet bulb, allowing evaporation of intercepted rainfall to be estimated by a simple diffusion equation for water vapour. This observation was taken as the basis for a new approach in modelling interception loss from savanna-type woodland, whereby the ecosystem evaporation is derived by scaling up the evaporation from individual trees, rather than by considering a homogeneous forest cover. Interception loss from isolated trees was estimated by combining the aforementioned equation for water vapour flux with Gash's analytical model. A new methodology, which avoids the subjectivity inherent in the Leyton method, was used for estimating the crown storage capacity. Modelling performance was evaluated against data from two Mediterranean savanna-type oak woodlands (montados) in southern Portugal. Interception loss estimates were in good agreement with observations in both sites. The proposed modelling approach is physically based, requires only a limited amount of data and should be suitable for the modelling of interception loss in isolated trees and savanna-type ecosystems.
| Item Type: | Publication - Article |
|---|---|
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | 10.1016/j.agrformet.2008.10.014 |
| Programmes: | CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biogeochemistry |
| UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas: | Harding (to July 2011) |
| ISSN: | 0168-1923 |
| Additional Keywords: | Rainfall interception, Isolated trees, Savannas, Quercus ilex, Wet bulb temperature, Gash analytical model |
| NORA Subject Terms: | Ecology and Environment Atmospheric Sciences |
| Date made live: | 07 May 2009 09:31 +0 (UTC) |
| URI: | https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/6057 |
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