Seasonally contrasting responses of evapotranspiration to warming and elevated CO 2 in a semiarid grassland

Sorokin, Y.; Zelikova, T. J.; Blumenthal, D.; Williams, D. G.; Pendall, E.

doi:10.1002/eco.1880

Seasonally contrasting responses of evapotranspiration to warming and elevated CO ₂ in a semiarid grassland

Journal Article · Mon Jul 17 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Ecohydrology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1880· OSTI ID:1398287

Sorokin, Y. ^[1]; Zelikova, T. J. ^[1]; Blumenthal, D. ^[2]; Williams, D. G. ^[1]; ^[3]

Department of Botany University of Wyoming Laramie WY 82071 USA
Rangeland Resources Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
Department of Botany University of Wyoming Laramie WY 82071 USA, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith 2751 Australia

Abstract

Global climate change is expected to alter seasonal patterns and rates of evapotranspiration in dry regions. Although climate change will involve elevated CO ₂ and increased temperatures, independently, these factors may have different impacts on actual evapotranspiration (AET) due to their opposing effects on transpiration. We used canopy gas exchange chambers to quantify AET in a semiarid grassland experimentally altered by elevated CO ₂ and warming over 3 years with contrasting ambient precipitation. Seasonal and interannual variations in AET due to background climate variability were larger than the effects of climate manipulation treatments. However, in a year with average precipitation, cumulative growing season AET was suppressed by warming by 23%. Across years, warming increased AET early in the growing season and suppressed it later in the growing season. By contrast, elevated CO ₂ suppressed AET early in the growing season and enhanced it later, but only in years with average or above‐average precipitation. Vegetation greenness (a proxy for photosynthetically active leaf area) was consistently the strongest predictor of AET, whereas soil moisture and vapor pressure deficit were secondary drivers. Our research demonstrates that effects of increased atmospheric CO ₂ and temperature on AET will be mediated by plant phenological development and seasonal climatic conditions.

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0006973

OSTI ID:: 1398287

Journal Information:: Ecohydrology, Journal Name: Ecohydrology Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 10; ISSN 1936-0584

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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