Cutting grass less could save water and energy, study finds.
Evapotranspiration, which is the exchange of water and energy between soil, land surface, and atmosphere, is important for grassland ecosystems. This study compared different methods of measuring actual evapotranspiration at an alpine grassland site in Austria. They used a weighable lysimeter, a scintillometer system, and a Bowen ratio energy balance system. The lysimeter showed the highest evapotranspiration values, while the scintillometer and Bowen ratio system had slightly lower values. The differences in measurements were influenced by factors like grass cutting frequency. Overall, the study provides insights into how different methods can affect evapotranspiration measurements in grassland ecosystems.