Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems

Yang, Qichun; Zhang, Xuesong

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.238

Title: Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems

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Abstract

As a widely used watershed model for assessing impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on water quantity and quality, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has not been extensively tested in simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems. Here, we examine SWAT simulations of evapotranspiration (ET), net primary productivity (NPP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and plant biomass at ten AmeriFlux forest sites across the U.S. We identify unrealistic radiation use efficiency (Bio_E), large leaf to biomass fraction (Bio_LEAF), and missing phosphorus supply from parent material weathering as the primary causes for the inadequate performance of the default SWAT model in simulating forest dynamics. By further revising the relevant parameters and processes, SWAT’s performance is substantially improved. Based on the comparison between the improved SWAT simulations and flux tower observations, we discuss future research directions for further enhancing model parameterization and representation of water and carbon cycling for forests.

Authors:

Yang, Qichun;

Publication Date:: Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016

Research Org.:: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1347877

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-119110
Journal ID: ISSN 0048-9697; 453040196

DOE Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Science of the Total Environment

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 569-570; Journal ID: ISSN 0048-9697

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: MISSISSIPPI RIVER; CARBON FLUXES; UNITED-STATES; RESOLUTION; BIOSPHERE; EXCHANGE; IMPACTS; BALANCE; EXPORT; CYCLE

Citation Formats


                    Yang, Qichun, and Zhang, Xuesong. Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
        Web.  doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.238.

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                    Yang, Qichun, & Zhang, Xuesong. Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.238

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                    Yang, Qichun, and Zhang, Xuesong. 2016.  
        "Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.238.

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@article{osti_1347877,

  title        = {Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems},

  author       = {Yang, Qichun and Zhang, Xuesong},

  abstractNote = {As a widely used watershed model for assessing impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on water quantity and quality, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has not been extensively tested in simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems. Here, we examine SWAT simulations of evapotranspiration (ET), net primary productivity (NPP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and plant biomass at ten AmeriFlux forest sites across the U.S. We identify unrealistic radiation use efficiency (Bio_E), large leaf to biomass fraction (Bio_LEAF), and missing phosphorus supply from parent material weathering as the primary causes for the inadequate performance of the default SWAT model in simulating forest dynamics. By further revising the relevant parameters and processes, SWAT’s performance is substantially improved. Based on the comparison between the improved SWAT simulations and flux tower observations, we discuss future research directions for further enhancing model parameterization and representation of water and carbon cycling for forests.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.238},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1347877},
  journal      = {Science of the Total Environment},

  issn         = {0048-9697},

  number       = ,

  volume       = 569-570,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016},

  month        = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016}

}

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