<b>Water balance model and eucalyptus growth simulation in the rio doce basin, Brazil</b> - doi: 10.4025/actasciagron.v35i4.16955

Abstract

Although the 3-PG model is widely used for forest productivity calculations, there are processes that do not present appropriate physical treatment. The aim of this study was to generate a tool to improve the water balance calculation in the model to enhance the energy balance and transpiration process. The calculation of transpiration was modified to account for variations in solar radiation with the inclination and azimuth of the terrain; the vapor pressure deficit was changed based on the relative humidity and air temperature; and the stomatal conductance varied according to solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit and air temperature. The water storage in the soil varied with the depth of the root system and the total water availability (TWA) in the soil. The assessment was also changed from a monthly to an hourly basis. The study was conducted in areas surrounding Cenibra, and the data were collected from the Rio Doce river basin, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Taken together, these modifications improved growth - modeling processes and enhanced the capacity of this analytical tool to differentiate intra - region productivity.

Keywords

• tilt surface
• solar radiation
• stomatal resistance
• ecophysiological model