Evapotranspiration: A process driving mass transport and energy exchange in the soil‐plant‐atmosphere‐climate system

The role of evapotranspiration (ET) in the global, continental, regional, and local water cycles is reviewed. Elevated atmospheric CO 2 , air temperature, vapor pressure deficit ( D ), turbulent transport, radiative transfer, and reduced soil moisture all impact biotic and abiotic processes controlling ET that must be extrapolated to large scales. Suggesting a blueprint to achieve this link is the main compass of this review. Leaf‐scale transpiration ( f e ) as governed by the plant biochemical demand for CO 2 is first considered. When this biochemical demand is combined with mass transfer formulations, the problem remains mathematically intractable, requiring additional assumptions. A mathematical “closure”…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1013339, CBET-1033467, 1033467
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: FG02-95ER62083, SC0006967, DE-FG02-95ER62083, DE-FG02-, DE-SC0006967, FC02-06ER64156, DE-FG02
• UD
  U.S. Department of Agriculture

  Award: 2011-67003-30222
• DO
  Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems

  Award: 1033467
• BA
  Biological and Environmental Research

  Awards: SC0006967, DE-SC0006967