| dc.description.abstract | To understand different natural processes is vital to forewarn life and ecosystems, a little studied process in the paramo ecosystem is energy flux, specifically net radiation and soil heat flux. For this reason, in this research we evaluated these variables in a paramo ecosystem located in southern Ecuador. For this purpose, data was obtained from the Zhurucay ecohydrological observatory with a sampling frequency of 5 minutes for net radiation (Rn), soil heat flux (G), and their components. 5 models of Rn were evaluated and 2 equations to calculate G. The results from these models were compared to instrumental observations in two timescales: hourly and daily. Then we evaluated their implication in reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) calculations using Penman-Monteith equation. Additionally, we did acomparative study between two adjoining twin plots of the components of Rn and G. In general, we found that FAO 56 model performs the best in the two timescales, increasing underestimation with increasing timescale. The results of the plots showed variations in albedo 6,015%, net radiation 0,652%, outgoing short wave radiation 6,655%, soil heat flux 66,071%, soil temperature 8,157% and soil moisture 2,315%, these results show that despite the apparent homogeneity of the ground of the plots, there is a difference in the magnitude of G and Rn. | |
