Temporal dynamics of evapotranspiration in semiarid native forests in Brazil and Spain using remote sensing

Evapotranspiration (ET) plays an important role in integrated water resource planning, development and management. This process is particularly relevant in semiarid regions. The aim of this study is, hence, to compare spatial and temporal patterns of actual ET, as well as the temporal trends in two different semiarid forests, Caatinga (Brazil) and Tierra de Pinares (Spain). We used the surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) to assess actual evapotranspiration (ETa) in both areas. In the Brazilian semiarid forest, Caatinga is the main vegetation, while it is Pinares in Spain. For this purpose, 69 Landsat-5 and 42 Landsat-8 images (1995-2019) were used. The Mann-Kendall test was applied to assess the occurrence of trends in precipitation, temperature and potential ET data; and the Temporal Stability Index (TSI) to know which areas have greater seasonal ETa. The annual amplitude of the potential evapotranspiration (ET0) is the same in both areas, however, the Caatinga values are higher. In the Caatinga forest, when ET0 presents its highest values throughout the year, ETa presents the lowest, and vice versa. In the Pinares forest, ETa follows the ET0 dynamics during the year, and the difference between ET0 and ETa is maximum during the summer. The Caatinga forest showed a greater spatial variation of ETa than the Pinares forest as well as a greater extension with lower temporal stability of ETa than the Pinares forest. Both the Caatinga forest and the Pinares forest showed significant positive trends in annual ET0 and ETa. We estimate that the value of ETa increases more rapidly in Pinares than in the Brazilian Caatinga. Taking Caatinga as a hydrological mirror, some consequences are expected to Pinares, such as significant changes in the water balance, increase of biodiversity vulnerability, and reduction of water availability in soil and reservoirs.

Automated summary

This study compares the spatial and temporal patterns of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) in two different semiarid forests, Caatinga in Brazil and Pinares in Spain, using Landsat images and the SEBAL algorithm. Differences in ETa dynamics, spatial variation, and temporal stability were observed between the two forests. Both forests showed significant positive trends in annual ET0 and ETa. It was found that ETa increases more rapidly in Pinares than in Caatinga, which could lead to significant changes in water balance, biodiversity vulnerability, and reduced water availability in soil and reservoirs.