A repeatable and reproducible modelling workflow using the Vegetation Optimality Model and RENKU

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remko Nijzink ◽  
Chandrasekhar Ramakrishnan ◽  
Rok Roskar ◽  
Stan Schymanski
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Scientific Workflow ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Knowledge Graph ◽  
Science Center ◽  
Optimality Model ◽  
Individual Site

<p>Numerical experiments become more and more complex, resulting in workflows that are hard to repeat or reproduce. Even though many journals and funding agencies now require open access to data and model code, the linkages between these elements are often still poorly documented or even completely missing. The software platform Renku (https://renkulab.io/), developed by the Swiss Data Science Center, aims at improving reproducibility and repeatability of the entire scientific workflow. Data, scripts and code are stored in an online repository, and Renku records explicitly all the steps from data import to the generation of final plots, in the form of a knowledge graph. In this way, all output files have a history attached, including linkages to scripts and input files used generate them. Renku can visualize the knowledge graph, to show all scientific links between inputs, outputs, scripts and models. It enables easy re-use and reproduction of the entire workflow or parts thereof.</p><p>In the test case presented here, the Vegetation Optimality Model (VOM, Schymanski et al., 2009) is applied along six study sites of the North-Australian Tropical Transect to simulate observed canopy-atmosphere exchange of water and carbon dioxide. The VOM optimizes vegetation properties, such as rooting depths and canopy properties, in order to maximize the Net Carbon Profit, i.e. the total carbon taken up by photosynthesis minus all the carbon costs of the plant organs involved. The vegetation is schematized as one big leaf for trees and one leaf for seasonal grasses, and is combined with a water balance model. Flux tower measurements of evaporation and CO2-assimilation, and remotely sensed vegetation cover are used for model evaluation, in addition to meteorological data as input for the model. A numerical optimization, the Shuffled Complex Evolution, is used to optimize the vegetation properties for each individual site by repeatedly running the model with different parametrizations and computing the net carbon profit over 20 years. The optimization was repeated several times for each site to analyze the sensitivity of the results to a range of different input parameters.</p><p>This case demonstrates an example of a complex numerical experiment with all its associated challenges concerning documenting model choices, large datasets and a variety of pre- and post- processing steps. Renku assured the repeatability and reproducibility of this experiment, by documenting this in a proper and systematic way. We demonstrate how Renku helped us to repeat analyses and update results, and we will present the knowledge graph of this experiment.</p><div> <p><strong>References<br></strong>Schymanski, S.J., Sivapalan, M., Roderick, M.L., Hutley, L.B., Beringer, J., 2009. An optimality‐based model of the dynamic feedbacks between natural vegetation and the water balance. Water Resources Research 45. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008WR006841</p> </div>

scholarly journals Contribution of glacier melt to stream runoff: if the climatically extreme summer of 2003 had happened in 1979…

2007 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 303-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gernot R. Koboltschnig ◽  
Wolfgang Schöner ◽  
Massimiliano Zappa ◽  
Hubert Holzmann
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Snow Accumulation ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
High Temporal Resolution ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Elevation Model

AbstractThis paper presents a comparative study at a small and highly glacierized catchment area in the Austrian Alps, where runoff under the extreme hot and dry conditions of summer 2003 was simulated based on two different glacier extents: the 2003 glacier extent and the 29% larger 1979 extent. Runoff was simulated applying the hydrological water balance model PREVAH at a high temporal resolution. For this purpose, the catchment area was subdivided into hydrological response units based on digital elevation model and land-cover data. The model was driven by meteorological data from the observatory at Hoher Sonnblick, situated at the highest point of the catchment area (3106ma.s.l.). We were interested in the effect the change in glacier extent would have on the annual and monthly water balance and the hydrograph of hourly discharges. Results of the 2003 and the hypothetical 1979 simulation show main differences in runoff for the period July–August depending on a higher ice-melt contribution. Due to the same meteorological input, both simulations calculate the same snow accumulation and snowmelt. Annual discharge in 1979 would have been 12% higher and hourly runoff up to 35% higher than in 2003.

Forecasting wheat yields using a water budgeting model

1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 715 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Cordery ◽  
AG Graham
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
New South ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Soil Layers ◽  
South Wales

A model has been developed to forecast soil water variations and wheat crop growth in dry land situations. The forecast of the yield to be expected if sowing occurred today is obtained by running the calibrated model for all years for which meteorological data are available. The soil water content on today's date in each year is fixed at today's observed soil water value. From each year of observed meteorological data, an estimate is made of the yield. These yield data allow construction of a frequency distribution of yield which can be used to make a probabilistic forecast. The model involves two sub-models, a water balance model and acrop development model. The two sub-models interact to provide 5-day estimates of soil water content, actual evaporation and transpiration, runoff and increments to biomass and grain yield. The water balance model takes inputs of daily rainfall and estimated potential evapotranspiration. Available energy is partitioned between evaporation and transpiration depending on leaf area index. There are two soil layers plus a surface interception and depression store. Water removal from the soil layers is dependent on root development and the location of available water. Biomass production is driven by actual transpiration and transpiration efficiency and so biomass and grain development are dependent on the timing and amount of water and energy utilization by the crop. The model was first calibrated in northern New South Wales with 13 years of research station data. With minor recalibration, it provided good estimates of observed district wheat harvests for a continuous period of 75 years. Further recalibration with 30 years of shire data from Queensland, 29 years of single farm data in southern New South Wales and with 31 years of county data from northwestern USA., indicated the model is able to accurately reproduce observed yields and has the potential to provide reliable forecasts of yield, in a range of different climates.

scholarly journals Using climate reanalysis data in conjunction with multi-temporal satellite thermal imagery to derive supraglacial debris thickness changes from energy-balance modelling

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Stewart ◽  
Matthew Westoby ◽  
Francesca Pellicciotti ◽  
Ann Rowan ◽  
Darrel Swift ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Surface Energy ◽  
Surface Energy Balance ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Thermal Imagery ◽  
Thickness Estimation ◽  
Miage Glacier

Abstract Surface energy-balance models are commonly used in conjunction with satellite thermal imagery to estimate supraglacial debris thickness. Removing the need for local meteorological data in the debris thickness estimation workflow could improve the versatility and spatiotemporal application of debris thickness estimation. We evaluate the use of regional reanalysis data to derive debris thickness for two mountain glaciers using a surface energy-balance model. Results forced using ERA-5 agree with AWS-derived estimates to within 0.01 ± 0.05 m for Miage Glacier, Italy, and 0.01 ± 0.02 m for Khumbu Glacier, Nepal. ERA-5 data were then used to estimate spatiotemporal changes in debris thickness over a ~20-year period for Miage Glacier, Khumbu Glacier and Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland. We observe significant increases in debris thickness at the terminus for Haut Glacier d'Arolla and at the margins of the expanding debris cover at all glaciers. While simulated debris thickness was underestimated compared to point measurements in areas of thick debris, our approach can reconstruct glacier-scale debris thickness distribution and its temporal evolution over multiple decades. We find significant changes in debris thickness over areas of thin debris, areas susceptible to high ablation rates, where current knowledge of debris evolution is limited.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of groundwater recharge using climatic analogues and HYDRUS-1D

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 2485-2497 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Leterme ◽  
D. Mallants ◽  
D. Jacques
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Hydrus 1D

Abstract. The sensitivity of groundwater recharge to different climate conditions was simulated using the approach of climatic analogue stations, i.e. stations presently experiencing climatic conditions corresponding to a possible future climate state. The study was conducted in the context of a safety assessment of a future near-surface disposal facility for low and intermediate level short-lived radioactive waste in Belgium; this includes estimation of groundwater recharge for the next millennia. Groundwater recharge was simulated using the Richards based soil water balance model HYDRUS-1D and meteorological time series from analogue stations. This study used four analogue stations for a warmer subtropical climate with changes of average annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration from −42% to +5% and from +8% to +82%, respectively, compared to the present-day climate. Resulting water balance calculations yielded a change in groundwater recharge ranging from a decrease of 72% to an increase of 3% for the four different analogue stations. The Gijon analogue station (Northern Spain), considered as the most representative for the near future climate state in the study area, shows an increase of 3% of groundwater recharge for a 5% increase of annual precipitation. Calculations for a colder (tundra) climate showed a change in groundwater recharge ranging from a decrease of 97% to an increase of 32% for four different analogue stations, with an annual precipitation change from −69% to −14% compared to the present-day climate.

scholarly journals Reconstruction of the annual balance of Vadret da Morteratsch, Switzerland, since 1865

2009 ◽  
Vol 50 (50) ◽  
pp. 126-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Nemec ◽  
Philippe Huybrechts ◽  
Oleg Rybak ◽  
Johannes Oerlemans
Keyword(s):  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Surface Energy Fluxes ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Continuous Mass ◽  
Weather Stations ◽  
Precipitation Records ◽  
High Elevations ◽  
Annual Balance ◽  
Almost Continuous

AbstractWe have reconstructed the annual balance of Vadret da Morteratsch, Engadine, Switzerland, with a two-dimensional energy-balance model for the period 1865–2005. The model takes into account a parameterization of the surface energy fluxes, an albedo that decreases exponentially with snow depth as well as the shading effect of the surrounding mountains. The model was first calibrated with a 5 year record of annual balance measurements made at 20 different sites on the glacier between 2001 and 2006 using meteorological data from surrounding weather stations as input. To force the model for the period starting in 1865, we employed monthly temperature and precipitation records from nearby valley stations. The model reproduces the observed annual balance reasonably well, except for the lower part during the warmest years. Most crucial to the results is the altitudinal precipitation gradient, but this factor is hard to quantify from the limited precipitation data at high elevations. The simulation shows an almost continuous mass loss since 1865, with short interruptions around 1920, 1935 and 1980. A trend towards a more negative annual balance can be observed since the beginning of the 1980s. The simulated cumulative mass balance for the entire period 1865–2005 was found to be –46mw.e.

Assessment of interbasin groundwater flows between catchments using a semi-distributed water balance model

2014 ◽  
Vol 519 ◽  
pp. 1848-1858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Pellicer-Martínez ◽  
José Miguel Martínez-Paz
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Water Balance Model ◽  
Balance Model

Water budget and subsurface runoff determination for small Alpine catchments using WaSIM

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Bergmeister ◽  
Klaus Klebinder ◽  
Bernhard Kohl ◽  
Ulrich Burger ◽  
Georg Orsi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Water Budget ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Modular System ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Main Study ◽  
Direct Model ◽  
Subsurface Runoff ◽  
Alpine Catchments ◽  
Brenner Base Tunnel

<p>Assessing the water balance including subsurface runoff in high Alpine catchments is still a major challenge due to environmental and meteorological complexity, and mostly data-lacking hydrology. The aim of this study is the determination of the water balance components and water budget with focus on approximation of interflow, subsurface runoff and groundwater interactions, depending on sediment and bedrock properties.</p><p>In this process we investigate a small, high data providing Alpine catchment in the Wipp Valley (Tyrol, AT) to evaluate the best modelling approach in order to apply it on catchments along the Austrian Brenner axis. Thus, a direct model comparison of the main study catchment, with its (moderate data providing) neighbouring valley is carried out. The main study catchment (Padaster Valley) covers 11.2 km<sup>2</sup> and is located east of Steinach am Brenner in the Wipp Valley. Due to its partially usage as a deposital site, respectively a landfill for the tunnel excavation material of the Brenner Base Tunnel, this valley represents a highly interesting site in a hydrological aspect. Thus, the Padaster Valley is highly monitored and hence predestined for hydrological investigations. Hydrological data such as discharge is measured high frequently on four gauges, meteorological data on two gauges. An additional study catchment (Navis Valley) covers 63 km<sup>2</sup> and is located northerly next the Padaster Valley. Seven gauges provide meteorological data, however, continuous discharge data is just measured at the valley mouth. Further meteorological data for both areas will be contributed by the ZAMG (Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik), whose INCA model provide a high spatial resolution dataset of 1km. However, in order to gain a better overall understanding of subsurface runoff and hydrogeological processes, geological data will be considered and incorporated/integrated in the modelling process. This includes geological maps, - cross sections and geophysical analysis, which help to estimate the bedrock topography, and consequently the volume as well as deeper seated hydrogeological properties of the sediment cover. In this context, continuous data from 7 groundwater observation wells provide information regarding groundwater levels and hydraulic head. To increase the model accuracy regarding subsurface flow processes, subsurface-depending runoff types after Pirkl & Sausgruber (2015) are applied. Furthermore, several maps such as land use, surface runoff coefficient and soil map including grain size distribution of the layers have been compiled by in-situ fieldwork for this study. In order to model the water budget, subsurface runoff and overall hydrological slope properties, the distributed hydrological Model WaSIM (Richards version; Schulla, 1997) is applied. The model is based on a modular system which uses physically-based algorithms.</p><p>The present study is been carried out by the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) in collaboration with the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT-SE).</p>

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