Evapotranspiration and water balance in the neotropical forest of southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest ecosystems have a high relevance due to their numerous ecosystem services. UNESCO understands it as one of the most critical biospheres reserves globally. However, these ecosystems have been threatened by anthropogenic pressures. This study evaluated the evapotranspiration and the water balance components in a remaining fragment of the Atlantic Forest (AFR) based on hydrometeorological datasets from seven hydrological years (2014-2020). The focus was to analyze and model the spatial and temporal patterns of evapotranspiration and their biophysical controls, the water balance components of the canopy rainfall interception, soil moisture, and the different pathways of the water. The rainfall canopy interception was significant, accounting for 19% of total gross precipitation (P). In contrast, evapotranspiration accounted for an average of 77% of P. The processes involved with evapotranspiration are controlled by stomatal and soil water storage, mainly in the dry periods. Based on the water balance analysis, the water that flows below the root zone (DP) showed a variation between 3% and 49% of P. Therefore, despite the water limitations during the analyzed period, the Neotropical Forest stands out as a critical element to provide ecological functions, mainly for controlling and storage water.