Articles | Volume 28, issue 24
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5511-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5511-2024
Research article
 | 
19 Dec 2024
Research article |  | 19 Dec 2024

The significance of the leaf area index for evapotranspiration estimation in SWAT-T for characteristic land cover types of West Africa

Fabian Merk, Timo Schaffhauser, Faizan Anwar, Ye Tuo, Jean-Martial Cohard, and Markus Disse

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Cited articles

Abbas, S. A., Bailey, R. T., White, J. T., Arnold, J. G., White, M. J., Čerkasova, N., and Gao, J.: A framework for parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty analysis for holistic hydrologic modeling using SWAT+, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 21–48, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-21-2024, 2024. a
Abitew, T. A., Arnold, J., Jeong, J., Jones, A., and Srinivasan, R.: Innovative approach to prognostic plant growth modeling in SWAT+ for forest and perennial vegetation in tropical and Sub-Tropical climates, J. Hydrol. X, 20, 100156, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydroa.2023.100156, 2023. a
Ago, E. E., Agbossou, E. K., Galle, S., Cohard, J.-M., Heinesch, B., and Aubinet, M.: Long term observations of carbon dioxide exchange over cultivated savanna under a Sudanian climate in Benin (West Africa), Agr. Forest Meteorol., 197, 13–25, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2014.06.005, 2014. a, b, c, d
Ago, E. E., Agbossou, E. K., Cohard, J.-M., Galle, S., and Aubinet, M.: Response of CO2 fluxes and productivity to water availability in two contrasting ecosystems in northern Benin (West Africa), Ann. For. Sci., 73, 483–500, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-016-0542-9, 2016. a, b, c
Akoko, G., Le, T. H., Gomi, T., and Kato, T.: A Review of SWAT Model Application in Africa, Water, 13, 1313, https://doi.org/10.3390/w13091313, 2021. a
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Short summary
Evapotranspiration (ET) is computed from the vegetation (plant transpiration) and soil (soil evaporation). In western Africa, plant transpiration correlates with vegetation growth. Vegetation is often represented using the leaf area index (LAI). In this study, we evaluate the importance of the LAI for ET calculation. We take a close look at this interaction and highlight its relevance. Our work contributes to the understanding of terrestrial water cycle processes .
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