23. Actual Evapotranspiration
Actual evapotranspiration (AET) integrates evaporation and transpiration processes crucial for understanding the hydrological cycle. AET is impacted by various climatic, soil, and vegetative factors and can be estimated using multiple methods. The applicability of AET data spans irrigation management, hydrologic modeling, and climate change studies, despite challenges in measuring and modeling it under varying conditions.
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What we have learnt
- Actual Evapotranspiration (AET) is influenced by climate, soil, vegetation, and water availability.
- Different methods for estimating AET include the Soil Water Balance Method, Lysimeter Method, and Remote Sensing techniques.
- AET plays a crucial role in effective irrigation management, hydrologic modeling, and understanding climate change impacts.
Key Concepts
- -- Actual Evapotranspiration (AET)
- The quantity of water removed from the soil-plant system due to evaporation and transpiration under actual moisture availability.
- -- Potential Evapotranspiration (PET)
- The theoretical amount of evaporation and transpiration that would occur with unlimited water supply.
- -- Soil Water Balance Method
- A method for estimating AET by calculating the change in soil moisture over time using precipitation, runoff, deep percolation, and change in soil moisture storage.
- -- Lysimeter Method
- A direct measurement technique for AET that involves weighing a soil column to record evapotranspiration.
- -- Remote Sensing
- A method that uses satellite data to estimate AET based on vegetation indices and surface temperature.
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