Bendix, J.; Limberger, O.; Breuer, L.; de Paula, M.D.; Fries, A.; González-Jaramillo, V.; Grigusova, P.; Hickler, T.; Murkute, C.; Pucha-Cofrep, F.; Trachte, K. & Windhorst, D. (2025): <b>Simulation of latent heat flux over a high altitude pasture in the tropical Andes with a coupled land surface framework</b>. <i>Science of The Total Environment</i> <b>981</b>, 179510.
Resource Description
Title:
Simulation of latent heat flux over a high altitude pasture in the tropical Andes with a coupled land surface framework
FOR816dw ID:
576
Publication Date:
2025-05-09
License and Usage Rights:
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
J. Bendix
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
O. Limberger
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
L. Breuer
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
M. Dantas de Paula
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
A. Fries
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
V.H. González-Jaramillo
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
P. Grigusova
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
T. Hickler
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
C. Murkute
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
F Pucha-Cofrep
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
K. Trachte
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
D. Windhorst
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Abstract:
Latent heat flux is a central element of land-atmosphere interactions under climate change. Knowledge is particularly poor in the biodiversity hotspot of the Andes, where heat flux measurements using eddy covariance stations are scarce and land surface models (LSMs) often oversimplify the complexity of the ecosystems. The main objective of this study is to perform latent heat flux simulations for the tropical South Eastern (SE) Ecuadorian Andes using a coupled LSM framework, and to test the performance with heat flux and soil moisture data collected from a tropical high-altitude pasture. Prior to testing, we applied multi-criteria model calibration of sensitive model parameters, focusing on improving simulated soil water conditions and radiation fluxes as a prerequisite for proper heat flux simulations. The most sensitive parameters to improve soil moisture and radiation flux simulations were soil porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, leaf area index, soil colour and NIR (Near Infrared) leaf optical properties. The best calibrated model run showed a very good performance for half-hourly latent heat flux simulations with an R2 of 0.8 and an RMSE of 34.0 W m−2, outperforming simulations with uncalibrated and uncoupled LSM simulations in comparable areas. The slight overall overestimation in the simulated latent heat flux can be related to (i) simulation uncertainties in the canopy heat budget, (ii) an imbalance in the observed flux data and (iii) slight overestimations in the simulated soil moisture. Although our study focuses on latent heat fluxes and their relation to simulated radiation fluxes and soil moisture, model outputs of sensible heat fluxes were also discussed. The systematic overestimation of sensible heat flux in the model seems to be mainly a result of overestimated canopy temperatures. The improved simulation for latent heat flux has a high translational potential to support land use strategies in the tropical Andes under climate change.
Keywords:
| Tropical Andes | Latent heat flux | Land surface model | Sub-model coupling | Model calibration | High altitude pasture |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal:
Science of The Total Environment
Volume:
981
Page Range:
179510
ISSN:
0048-9697
Metadata Provider:
Individual:
Jörg Bendix
Contact:
email:
bendix <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Deutschhausstraße 12
Room No. 02 A 48
35032 Marburg
Faculty of Geography
Germany
