In this NASA KY EPSCoR funded study, we will evaluate and assess the impacts of evapotranspiration and gross primary production on ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station WUE product using observed data from two eddy covariance flux towers in Kentucky. This work will provide validation for ECOSTRESS WUE and quantify the impacts of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer GPP error and solar induced fluorescence derived GPP on the overall accuracy of ECOSTRESS WUE. Also, we will use the relationship between observed and satellite data to improve and calibrate a land surface model ET and WUE estimates.

1- Land surface models Carbon and water use efficiency

The goal of this project is to quantify the long-term impacts of climate, atmospheric CO₂ concentration, nitrogen (N) deposition, and their combined effects on water use efficiency (WUE), and carbon use efficiency (CUE) using estimates from 10 terrestrial ecosystem models. We address a variety of factors that can influence the models’ trend, including the potential role of autotrophic respiration and carbon allocation.

For more information, please check out the Scientific Report paper.

2- A long-term Monitoring network in Kentucky: Linking climate change to carbon and water use efficiencies, and soil properties

In this funded NASA KY EPSCoR, we used soil profile and satellite data to explore the role that soil properties play in regulating water and carbon use by plants. Data obtained for 19 terrestrial ecosystem sites in a warm temperate and humid climate were used to investigate the relationship between remotely sensed data and soil physical and chemical properties.

For more information, please check out the Remote Sensing paper.