Abstract
Abstract Interception of precipitation by land cover and subsequent evaporation is an essential hydrological process. In the terrestrial hydrological cycle, it is the first process after precipitation. As such, it affects all subsequent processes in the cycle. Not only does interception amount to a considerable part of the total terrestrial evaporation (about 30–35% of total terrestrial evaporation, globally) it also has a considerable impact on terrestrial moisture recycling and isotope fractionation. Furthermore, it facilitates preferential recharge, which is advantageous to ecosystem and water resources, alike. If interception is not conceptualized correctly in hydrological models, then the calibration of runoff processes is negatively affected. This article provides the theoretical background to conceptualizing the interception process, as well as methods to observe and compute interception, illustrated with global distribution maps.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Water |
Subtitle of host publication | Science, Technology, and Society |
Publisher | American Cancer Society |
Pages | 1-8 |
Number of pages | 8 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781119300762 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2019 |
Keywords
- hydrological process
- modeling interception
- observation of interception