Transpiration in the global water cycle
Abstract
A compilation of 81 studies that have partitioned evapotranspiration (ET) into its components-transpiration (T) and evaporation (E)-at the ecosystem scale indicates that T accounts for 61% (±15% s.d.) of ET and returns approximately 39 ± 10% of incident precipitation (P) to the atmosphere, creating a dominant force in the global water cycle. T as a proportion of ET is highest in tropical rainforests (70 ± 14%) and lowest in steppes, shrublands and deserts (51 ± 15%), but there is no relationship of T/ET versus P across all available data (R2 = 0.01). Changes to transpiration due to increasing CO2 concentrations, land use changes, shifting ecozones and climate warming are expected to have significant impacts upon runoff and groundwater recharge.
- Publication:
-
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
- Pub Date:
- June 2014
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2014AgFM..189..115S
- Keywords:
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- Evapotranspiration;
- Partitioning ET;
- Transpiration