Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands

A semi-empirical method for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on ancillary and NDVI data, named NDVI-Cws, is currently being refined for improved applicability to wetlands. The investigation, in particular, addresses the case of semi-natural ecosystems where the impact of meteorologic...

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Main Authors: Luca Fibbi, Nicola Arriga, Marta Chiesi, Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Maurizio Pieri, Fabio Maselli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Hydrology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/6/139
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author Luca Fibbi
Nicola Arriga
Marta Chiesi
Alessandro Dell’Acqua
Maurizio Pieri
Fabio Maselli
author_facet Luca Fibbi
Nicola Arriga
Marta Chiesi
Alessandro Dell’Acqua
Maurizio Pieri
Fabio Maselli
author_sort Luca Fibbi
collection DOAJ
description A semi-empirical method for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on ancillary and NDVI data, named NDVI-Cws, is currently being refined for improved applicability to wetlands. The investigation, in particular, addresses the case of semi-natural ecosystems where the impact of meteorological water stress (WS) is limited by groundwater resources. To adapt to this situation, the application of the NDVI-Cws method is preceded by a calibration phase based on spatially enhanced Land Surface Analysis Satellite Application Facility (LSA SAF) evapotranspiration products. This calibration is currently performed in the main wetlands of Tuscany (Central Italy) identified in the Ramsar Convention. The calibrated NDVI-Cws version is then applied to all regional Ramsar areas, yielding outputs that are first examined all over Tuscany. Next, the model estimates are quantitatively assessed versus ETa observations taken in a forest and a grassland Ramsar site. The results of these independent tests show the improvement achieved by the calibration phase with respect to the original model version. This supports the potential of the refined NDVI-Cws method to yield reasonably accurate daily ETa estimates for wetlands at a spatial resolution that is mainly dependent on the NDVI data used.
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issn 2306-5338
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publishDate 2025-06-01
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series Hydrology
spelling doaj-art-cd31ddebf08443a8b8e4fdaf92a3494f2025-08-20T02:21:02ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382025-06-0112613910.3390/hydrology12060139Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean WetlandsLuca Fibbi0Nicola Arriga1Marta Chiesi2Alessandro Dell’Acqua3Maurizio Pieri4Fabio Maselli5Italian National Research Council-Institute of BioEconomy (CNR IBE), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, ItalyEuropean Commission, Joint Research Center (JRC), 21027 Ispra, ItalyItalian National Research Council-Institute of BioEconomy (CNR IBE), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, ItalyEuropean Commission, Joint Research Center (JRC), 21027 Ispra, ItalyItalian National Research Council-Institute of BioEconomy (CNR IBE), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, ItalyItalian National Research Council-Institute of BioEconomy (CNR IBE), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, ItalyA semi-empirical method for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on ancillary and NDVI data, named NDVI-Cws, is currently being refined for improved applicability to wetlands. The investigation, in particular, addresses the case of semi-natural ecosystems where the impact of meteorological water stress (WS) is limited by groundwater resources. To adapt to this situation, the application of the NDVI-Cws method is preceded by a calibration phase based on spatially enhanced Land Surface Analysis Satellite Application Facility (LSA SAF) evapotranspiration products. This calibration is currently performed in the main wetlands of Tuscany (Central Italy) identified in the Ramsar Convention. The calibrated NDVI-Cws version is then applied to all regional Ramsar areas, yielding outputs that are first examined all over Tuscany. Next, the model estimates are quantitatively assessed versus ETa observations taken in a forest and a grassland Ramsar site. The results of these independent tests show the improvement achieved by the calibration phase with respect to the original model version. This supports the potential of the refined NDVI-Cws method to yield reasonably accurate daily ETa estimates for wetlands at a spatial resolution that is mainly dependent on the NDVI data used.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/6/139NDVI-CwsMODISLSA SAFLSTRamsar areas
spellingShingle Luca Fibbi
Nicola Arriga
Marta Chiesi
Alessandro Dell’Acqua
Maurizio Pieri
Fabio Maselli
Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands
Hydrology
NDVI-Cws
MODIS
LSA SAF
LST
Ramsar areas
title Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands
title_full Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands
title_fullStr Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands
title_full_unstemmed Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands
title_short Calibration and Validation of an Operational Method to Estimate Actual Evapotranspiration in Mediterranean Wetlands
title_sort calibration and validation of an operational method to estimate actual evapotranspiration in mediterranean wetlands
topic NDVI-Cws
MODIS
LSA SAF
LST
Ramsar areas
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/6/139
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