Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Transfer (SVAT) Models

Dr. Mathew Williams

What are SVAT models?

Simulators of energy and matter exchange between land surface and atmosphere Based on mechanistic understanding of the component systems Used by meteorologists, climatologists, ecologists and biogeochemists.

Why do we need SVAT models?

To assist understanding of observations To allow hypothesis testing To extend understanding across space and time To provide a basis for prediction

Model Jargon
State variables Parameters Driving variables Calibration Corroboration/validation/testing Sensitivity analysis

What is the structure of a typical SVAT model?

Radiative transfer Energy balance Turbulent and diffusive transfer Stomatal function Photosynthesis and respiration Liquid phase water flow

Small Group Task

For a SVAT component, define the submodel structure What are the driving variables, the parameters and state variables? What are the key connections to other SVAT sub-models? How would you calibrate your sub-model?

Radiative Transfer
reflectance

Absorptance transmittance

Direct and diffuse NIR vs PAR Solar geometry Foliar geometry Sunlit and shaded

Beers Law: I=Io exp(-kL)

Energy Balance
First law of thermodynamics: Energy is always conserved Qlin Qs Qe Qh Qlout

Qs + Qe + Qh + Qlin + Qlout + Qc = 0 Qc

Turbulent and Diffusive Transfer

J = g c/z Turbulent zone Laminar zone Boundary layer thickness - leaf size - wind speed - temperature Wind within Crops and forests

Wind speed

Stomatal Function
E = gs cw gs is responsive to: CO2 Light Leaf water Humidity

Empirical vs. mechanistic approaches

Penman-Monteith Equation
E =
[s + ( + [1 + ga / gl ])]
= psychrometer constant acp = volumetric heat capacity of dry air s = slope of saturation vapour pressure curve = latent heat of vapourisation

{ sR

+ a cp gHe

Rn = net radiation e = vapour pressure deficit ga = leaf boundary layer conductance gl = leaf stomatal conductance gH = heat conductance

Photosynthesis and Respiration

light CO2 + 2H2O CO2 + 4H + O2 (CH2O) + H2O + O2
LIGHT REACTIONS DARK REACTIONS

Metabolic model = Diffusion model Vc(1-*/Cc)Rd = gt(Ca-Cc)

Liquid Phase Water Flow

Atmosphere
CO2

What determines:
Leaf

gs

Root resistance (Rr)? Plant resistance (Rp)? Soil resistance (Rs)? Soil water potential (l)?
d l s w gh E ( Rs + Rr + R p ) l = dt C ( Rs + Rr + R p )

l
Rp C Stem

s1

Rs1

Rr1

Roots

s2

Rs
2

Rr2

sn
Soil

Rsn

Rrn Plant

The Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Model

Multi-layer canopy and soils 30 minute time-step Fully coupled liquid and vapour phase water fluxes Biochemical model of photosynthesis

SOIL PLANT ATMOSPHERE MODEL

BIOLOGICAL COMPONENT
C. Boundary Layer Layer Windspeed

PHYSICAL COMPONENT
B. Radiation PAR NIR A. Canopy Structure [N] LAI

H 2O

CO2

ln

En (gsn)

Rpn

Cn

10

Sun & shade Rsn D. Soil Water Potential & Soil-Root Hydraulic Conductivity

START

LEAF LEVEL PROCESSES STOP Yes No 7. /gs > ? & l > lmin ?

1. Increment gs & calculate gt 2. Determine Leaf Temperature, Tl 3. Calculate metabolic parameters; Vcmax, Jmax = f(Tl, [N])

6. Change in LWP, l /t 5. Evaporation (Penman-Monteith)

4. Determine assimilation by varying C c until: Metabolic model = Diffusion model Vc(1-*/Cc)-Rd = gt(Ca-Cc)

Harvard Forest

Harvard Forest
14
Modelled GPP (SPA) Measured GPP

GPP (gC m d )

12 10 8 6 4 2 0 4.120 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
4.120 4.140 4.160 4.180 4.200 Day of year 4.220 4.240 4.260 4.280 4.300
HFsun_6yrs TR.OPJ 26/11/2001 15:59

-2

-1

4.140

4.160

4.180

4.200

4.220

4.240

4.260

4.280

4.300

Modelled LE (fine-scale) Measured LE

LE (W m )

-2

Harvard Forest, controls on GPP, 1994

4

LAI

0 28 24 20 16 12 8 4 0 30 20 10 0 4.14 4.16 4.18 4.20 4.22 4.24 4.26 4.28 4.30 4.14 4.16 4.18 4.20 4.22 4.24 4.26 4.28 4.30

irradiance -2 -1 (MJ m d )

4.14

4.16

4.18

4.20

4.22

4.24

4.26

4.28

4.30

temperature o ( C)

Time (d)

Tropical rain forest

Arctic tundra northern Alaska

CO2 exchange in three tussock tundra sites, northern Alaska

4 3 0

Measured NEP (mol m s )

-1 -2

-4 171 4 0 -4 178 4 6 0

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

-4

Measured 4

Modelled

179

180

181

182

183

184

185

186

-4

-4 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212

Day of year

-4

Modelled NEP (mol m s )

-2 -1

PREDICTIONS

GIS Weather stations ACM (daily, big leaf) Satellite data (NDVI)

Eddy flux

SPA (30 min, process based)

Field data: LAI, N

What you should have learned

Structure of typical SVAT models Diagnostic uses (working with eddy flux data) Prognostic uses (scaling up) Key research areas in developing SVAT models (applicability to global change research)