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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Jonesboro, Arkansas » Delta Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320567
Title: Sub-canopy Evapotranspiration from Floating Vegetation and Open Water in a Swamp Forest

Author
item ALLEN, SCOTT - Louisiana State University
item EDWARDS, BRANDON - Louisiana State University
item Reba, Michele
item KEIM, RICHARD - Louisiana State University

Submitted to: Wetlands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/28/2016
Publication Date: 5/20/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5509860
Citation: Allen, S.T., Edwards, B.L., Reba, M.L., Keim, R.F. 2016. Sub-canopy evapotranspiration from floating vegetation and open water in a swamp forest. Wetlands. Wetlands.VOL:36/681-688, DOI: 10.1007/s13157-016-0778-z.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-016-0778-z

Interpretive Summary: The loss of water through evaporation and transpiration in the understory of flooded forests has not been widely studied. In this manuscript we investigate water loss from wetland vegetation and open water in the understory of a flooded forest. This study was conducted under a closed canopy baldcypress-ash-tupelo swamp forest in southeastern Louisiana. Water levels were measured in paired, partially-submerged evaporation pans, one with floating aquatic vegetation and the other without. Over the five month measurement period (June-November), average evapotranspiration rates from vegetation and open water were approximately the same at 1.36 mm day^-1. Open water evaporation was generally higher in summer, and evapotranspiration from the vegetated water surface was higher in fall, likely due to changes in the sub-canopy energy environment related to both regional climate and site canopy phenology.

Technical Abstract: Among previous studies, there are large discrepancies in the difference between evapotranspiration from wetland vegetation and evaporation from open water. In this study, we investigate evapotranspiration differences between water and vegetation in a scenario that has otherwise not been extensively investigated: evapotranspiration from floodwaters in the sub-canopy environment. This study was conducted under a closed canopy baldcypress-ash-tupelo swamp forest in southeastern Louisiana. Water levels were measured in paired, partially-submerged evaporation pans, one with floating aquatic vegetation and the other without. Over the 5month measurement period (June-November), average evapotranspiration rates from floating vegetation and open water were approximately 1.35± 0.10 and 1.36± 0.06 mm day-1, respectively. Open water evaporation was generally higher in summer, and evapotranspiration from the vegetated water surface was higher in fall, likely due to changes in the sub-canopy energy environment related to both regional climate and site canopy phenology.