Articles | Volume 22, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4097-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4097-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
30 Jul 2018
Research article |
| 30 Jul 2018
| 30 Jul 2018
Testing an optimality-based model of rooting zone water storage capacity in temperate forests
Matthias J. R. Speich
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Dynamic Macroecology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903
Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Hydrological Forecasts, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903
Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich,
Switzerland
now at: Biometry and Environmental Systems Analysis, University of
Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg i. Br., Germany
Heike Lischke
Dynamic Macroecology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903
Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Massimiliano Zappa
Hydrological Forecasts, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903
Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Cited
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Adaptation of root zone storage capacity to climate change and its effects on future streamflow in Alpine catchments: towards non-stationary model parameters M. Ponds et al. 10.5194/hess-29-3545-2025
- An Optimality-Based Spatial Explicit Ecohydrological Model at Watershed Scale: Model Description and Test in a Semiarid Grassland Ecosystem L. Chen et al. 10.3389/fenvs.2022.798336
- Multi-decadal fluctuations in root zone storage capacity through vegetation adaptation to hydro-climatic variability have minor effects on the hydrological response in the Neckar River basin, Germany S. Wang et al. 10.5194/hess-28-4011-2024
- Substantial root-zone water storage capacity observed by GRACE and GRACE/FO M. Zhao et al. 10.5194/hess-29-2293-2025
- Influence of irrigation on root zone storage capacity estimation F. van Oorschot et al. 10.5194/hess-28-2313-2024
- Does maximization of net carbon profit enable the prediction of vegetation behaviour in savanna sites along a precipitation gradient? R. Nijzink et al. 10.5194/hess-26-525-2022
- Ecosystem adaptation to climate change: the sensitivity of hydrological predictions to time-dynamic model parameters L. Bouaziz et al. 10.5194/hess-26-1295-2022
- A Brief Review of Random Forests for Water Scientists and Practitioners and Their Recent History in Water Resources H. Tyralis et al. 10.3390/w11050910
- Seeing roots from space: aboveground fingerprints of root depth in vegetation sensitivity to climate in dry biomes N. Kühn et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/ac9d4f
- Plants as sensors: vegetation response to rainfall predicts root-zone water storage capacity in Mediterranean-type climates D. Dralle et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/abb10b
- FORests and HYdrology under Climate Change in Switzerland v1.0: a spatially distributed model combining hydrology and forest dynamics M. Speich et al. 10.5194/gmd-13-537-2020
- Reduction of vegetation-accessible water storage capacity after deforestation affects catchment travel time distributions and increases young water fractions in a headwater catchment M. Hrachowitz et al. 10.5194/hess-25-4887-2021
- Modeling the effect of rockfall on forest development in a dynamic forest landscape model C. Moos & H. Lischke 10.1002/ecs2.3909
- A Semiempirical Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Environments M. Chiesi et al. 10.1155/2018/9792609
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Adaptation of root zone storage capacity to climate change and its effects on future streamflow in Alpine catchments: towards non-stationary model parameters M. Ponds et al. 10.5194/hess-29-3545-2025
- An Optimality-Based Spatial Explicit Ecohydrological Model at Watershed Scale: Model Description and Test in a Semiarid Grassland Ecosystem L. Chen et al. 10.3389/fenvs.2022.798336
- Multi-decadal fluctuations in root zone storage capacity through vegetation adaptation to hydro-climatic variability have minor effects on the hydrological response in the Neckar River basin, Germany S. Wang et al. 10.5194/hess-28-4011-2024
- Substantial root-zone water storage capacity observed by GRACE and GRACE/FO M. Zhao et al. 10.5194/hess-29-2293-2025
- Influence of irrigation on root zone storage capacity estimation F. van Oorschot et al. 10.5194/hess-28-2313-2024
- Does maximization of net carbon profit enable the prediction of vegetation behaviour in savanna sites along a precipitation gradient? R. Nijzink et al. 10.5194/hess-26-525-2022
- Ecosystem adaptation to climate change: the sensitivity of hydrological predictions to time-dynamic model parameters L. Bouaziz et al. 10.5194/hess-26-1295-2022
- A Brief Review of Random Forests for Water Scientists and Practitioners and Their Recent History in Water Resources H. Tyralis et al. 10.3390/w11050910
- Seeing roots from space: aboveground fingerprints of root depth in vegetation sensitivity to climate in dry biomes N. Kühn et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/ac9d4f
- Plants as sensors: vegetation response to rainfall predicts root-zone water storage capacity in Mediterranean-type climates D. Dralle et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/abb10b
- FORests and HYdrology under Climate Change in Switzerland v1.0: a spatially distributed model combining hydrology and forest dynamics M. Speich et al. 10.5194/gmd-13-537-2020
- Reduction of vegetation-accessible water storage capacity after deforestation affects catchment travel time distributions and increases young water fractions in a headwater catchment M. Hrachowitz et al. 10.5194/hess-25-4887-2021
- Modeling the effect of rockfall on forest development in a dynamic forest landscape model C. Moos & H. Lischke 10.1002/ecs2.3909
1 citations as recorded by crossref.
Latest update: 16 Sep 2025
Short summary
To simulate the water balance of, e.g., a forest plot, it is important to estimate the maximum volume of water available to plants. This depends on soil properties and the average depth of roots. Rooting depth has proven challenging to estimate. Here, we applied a model assuming that plants dimension their roots to optimize their carbon budget. We compared its results with values obtained by calibrating a dynamic water balance model. In most cases, there is good agreement between both methods.
To simulate the water balance of, e.g., a forest plot, it is important to estimate the maximum...
