Modeling land-atmosphere energy and water exchanges in the typical alpine grassland in Tibetan Plateau using Noah-MP

Abstract

Study regionAlpine grassland in the Tibetan Plateau Study focusThis study used Noah-MP to simulate the energy fluxes [net radiation (Rn), latent (λE) and sensible (H) heat fluxes] in two typical alpine ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau. The effectivenesses of new parameterization schemes for the roughness length for heat transfer and the root distribution were evaluated. By further using multi-scenario modeling, the responses of land evapotranspiration (ET), soil evaporation (Es) and vegetation transpiration (Tr) to changes in precipitation, solar radiation and air temperature were investigated. New hydrological insights for the regionThe default Noah-MP largely overestimates (underestimates) Rn and λE, but tends to underestimate (overestimate) H in alpine meadow (alpine steppe). After incorporating two newly-developed parameterization schemes, the accurancy of Noah-MP has been improved in alpine meadow for Rn and λE, while in alpine steppe only H has been improved. The ET, Es and Tr in alpine meadow are more sensitive to decreasing precipitation than that to increasing precipitation. In alpine steppe, ET and Es increase with increasing precipitation, while Tr responds weakly to changes in precipitation; The effect of temperature change on ET appears weak in both ecosystems. However, Tr shows negative responses to increased temperature and such responses in alpine steppe are more remarkable than those in alpine meadow, suggesting the former may be more vulnerable to future warming than the latter.