Ecohydrological Optimality
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Date
2009-09-15
Publication Type
Encyclopedia Entry
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no
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Abstract
Hydrological systems are governed by an incredible wealth of interactive processes, ranging from small‐scale processes within the soil domain such as unsaturated flow, bioturbation, and root water uptake to large‐scale feedbacks between the water balance and the global atmospheric circulation. Optimality approaches aim toward a simpler and more general representation of hydrological systems. As the hydrology of land is strongly affected by the presence of vegetation, these optimality approaches generally need to be explored in the context of how purely hydrological processes are linked to ecological processes. This article summarizes the different optimality assumptions that have been used to describe ecohydrological processes and how these are related to each other. Most approaches can be classified as either physical or ecological optimality. A range of examples are given for applying optimality approaches at various temporal and spatial scales, ranging from the scale of individual leaves and how they control water loss in relation to carbon uptake to the larger scale attributes of vegetation types, ecosystem properties, and river basin networks. The article concludes with a discussion of the usefulness of optimality approaches and their advantages as well as their disadvantages and the need for improvement.
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published
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Book title
Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences
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Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Wiley
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Subject
Hydrology; Optimality; Ecohydrology; Vegetation; Adaptation; Thermodynamics
Organisational unit
03812 - Or, Dani (emeritus) / Or, Dani (emeritus)