Terrestrial Water Cycle Research

Terrestrial Water Cycle Research

Terrestrial Water Cycle Research

The terrestrial water cycle is a core process in Earth system science, involving multiple components including precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, runoff, and groundwater recharge. We are committed to deeply understanding the physical mechanisms, spatiotemporal variation characteristics, and responses to climate change of the terrestrial water cycle through multi-scale observations, numerical simulations, and theoretical analyses. Our research covers multiple levels from microscopic soil-vegetation-atmosphere interactions to global-scale water cycle simulations.

Core Research Directions

Evapotranspiration Processes and Mechanisms

  • Separation and quantification of plant transpiration and soil evaporation
  • Response mechanisms of evapotranspiration to climate change
  • Water use strategies of different vegetation types
  • The dominant role of evapotranspiration in the terrestrial water cycle
Global evapotranspiration partitioning based on leaf area index

Precipitation-Runoff Processes

  • Precipitation infiltration and soil moisture movement
  • Formation mechanisms of surface runoff and subsurface runoff
  • Hydrological responses to extreme precipitation events
  • Watershed-scale water cycle process simulation
Comparison of global runoff simulation performance based on different precipitation datasets

Water Cycle Responses to Climate Change

  • Impacts of climate change on various components of the water cycle
  • Hydrological effects of extreme climate events
  • Impacts of water cycle changes on ecosystems
  • Water cycle predictions under future climate change scenarios

Technical Features

Multi-Scale Observation Capabilities

  • Site-scale high-frequency observation networks
  • Regional-scale remote sensing monitoring
  • Global-scale water cycle datasets
  • Multi-platform observation technology integration

Advanced Numerical Simulation

  • High-resolution land surface hydrological models
  • Isotope tracer technology applications
  • Data assimilation and parameter optimization
  • Uncertainty quantification analysis

Theoretical Innovation and Applications

  • New developments in water cycle theory
  • Applications of water cycle in climate change research
  • Applications of water cycle in eco-hydrology research
  • Applications of water cycle in agricultural hydrology research

Application Areas

  • Climate Change Research: Assessing the impact of climate change on the water cycle
  • Water Resource Management: Providing scientific basis for water resource planning and management
  • Eco-Hydrology Research: Studying interactions between ecosystems and the water cycle
  • Agricultural Hydrology Research: Assessing agricultural water use efficiency and irrigation management
  • Environmental Monitoring: Monitoring water pollution and water quality changes

Open Research Topics

Terrestrial water cycle research offers rich research opportunities for graduate students and collaborators. The following are our current research focuses:

Fine-Scale Research on Evapotranspiration Processes: In-depth study of evapotranspiration processes in different ecosystems to enhance understanding of the water cycle. This topic will focus on: developing more accurate evapotranspiration partitioning methods to distinguish plant transpiration and soil evaporation; studying water use strategies and efficiency of different vegetation types; constructing prediction models for evapotranspiration responses to climate change; studying the impact of extreme climate events on evapotranspiration; developing remote sensing-based evapotranspiration monitoring methods; studying the dominant role of evapotranspiration in regional water cycles.
Numerical Simulation of Precipitation-Runoff Processes: Constructing high-precision precipitation-runoff process simulation models to enhance hydrological prediction capabilities. Research includes: using the CoLM model to simulate precipitation infiltration and runoff formation processes; constructing numerical models of soil moisture movement, considering the effects of soil texture and structure; studying hydrological response mechanisms to extreme precipitation events; developing physically-based hydrological parameterization schemes; studying the impact of climate change on precipitation-runoff relationships; constructing comprehensive simulation frameworks for watershed-scale water cycle processes.
Water Cycle Responses to Climate Change: Studying water cycle response mechanisms to climate change, providing scientific support for climate change adaptation. This topic will focus on: assessing the degree of impact of climate change on various components of the water cycle; studying the perturbation effects of extreme climate events on the water cycle; constructing water cycle prediction models under future climate change scenarios; studying the impacts of water cycle changes on ecosystems; developing climate change adaptation strategies based on the water cycle; studying the role of the water cycle in carbon cycling.
Applications of Isotopes in Water Cycle Research: Using isotope techniques to study water cycle processes, providing new research perspectives and methods. Research focuses include: developing isotope-based water cycle tracing methods; constructing isotope transport models in the water cycle; studying applications of isotopes in water source identification; developing isotope-based water cycle validation methods; studying applications of isotopes in paleoclimate reconstruction; constructing comprehensive application frameworks for isotopes in water cycle research.

We welcome graduate students and collaborators interested in any of the above topics to contact us and jointly advance the innovative development of terrestrial water cycle research!

Selected Related Publications (# indicates corresponding author):

  • Wei, Z.#, Yoshimura, K., Wang, L., Miralles, D. G., Jasechko, S., Lee, X. (2017). Revisiting the contribution of transpiration to global terrestrial evapotranspiration. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(6), 2792-2801.

  • Wei, Z.#, Miyano, A., Sugita, M. (2016). Drag and Bulk Transfer Coefficients Over Water Surfaces in Light Winds. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 160(2), 319-346.

  • Wei, Z.#, He, X., Zhang, Y., Pan, M., Sheffield, J., Peng, L., Yamazaki, D., Moiz, A., Liu, Y., Ikeuchi, K. (2020). Identification of uncertainty sources in quasi-global discharge and inundation simulations using satellite-based precipitation products. Journal of Hydrology, 589, 125180.

  • More related research results will be published successively…