Evaluation of SEBS, METRIC-EEFlux, and QWaterModel Actual Evapotranspiration for a Mediterranean Cropping System in Southern Italy

Remote sensing-based evapotranspiration (ET) models with various levels of sophistication have emerged recently the possibilities user-defined model calibrations. Their application for water resources management and climate studies from regional to global scale has been rapidly increasing, which makes it important validate field ET in a complex crop assemblage before operational use. Based on situ flux-tower measurements by eddy-covariance (EC) system, this study tested three single-source energy balance estimating daily fennel/maize/ryegrass-clover cropland rotations Mediterranean context southern Italy. The sensitivity user-friendly (SEBS, QWaterModel, METRIC-EEFlux) reference EC system over center pivot irrigated is discussed detail. Results terms statistical indicators revealed that SEBS METRIC-EEFlux showed reasonable agreements measured (r2 = 0.59SEBS, RMSE 0.71 mm day−1; r2 0.65METRIC, 1.13 day−1) trends magnitudes. At 30 m spatial resolution, both were able capture in-field variations only during maize development stage. presence spurious scan lines due sensor defects Landsat L7 ETM+ can contribute qualities METRIC-Efflux’s product. In our observation, QWaterModel did not perform well weakest congruency 0.08QWaterModel) ground-based estimates. nutshell, evaluated these automated remote estimations suggested improvements generic approach used their underlying algorithm robust retrievals rotational ecosystems.