Integrating Models and Data Across Scales to Predict Soil-Water-Plant Interactions at the Terrestrial-Aquatic Interface
Authors
Xingyuan Chen1* (Xingyuan.chen@pnnl.gov), Peter Thornton2, Teri O’Meara2, Benjamin Sulman2, Fengming Yuan2, Jun Yan Ding1, Nate McDowell1, Vanessa Bailey1
Institutions
1Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA; 2Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
URLs
Abstract
Multi-scale modeling of soil-water-plant interactions allows researchers to migrate empirical knowledge from field and laboratory studies up to a scale appropriate for a high-resolution Earth system model, as represented here by the E3SM Land Model (ELM). Observed spatial variability in terrestrial aquatic interface ecosystems is represented through explicit meshes in finer-scale models, leading to subgrid parameterization in ELM. Observed ecosystem functions are represented mechanistically in finer-scale models, leading to necessary process parameterization in ELM. For this study, the approach uses multiple linked modeling platforms. 1-D and 2-D simulations are used to identify activated and permanent control points for inclusion in ELM grid-scale simulations and relationships that require further study. Researchers demonstrate that model skill has been significantly improved through incorporation of Coastal Observations, Mechanisms, and Predictions Across Systems and Scales (COMPASS) data in fine-scale simulations, and that this has translated to improved prediction skill at larger spatial scales in ELM. Researchers show that migrating to E3SM-relevant scale requires data with improved temporal resolution, and more information on belowground dynamics.
Model connections between hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecohydrology are explored to inform ELM-ATS-PFLOTRAN coupling as a common framework. This effort connects directly to ongoing development in COMPASS-Great Lakes Modeling (GLM) and Interoperable Design of Extreme-scale Application Software (IDEAS)-Watersheds projects.