ABSTRACT
The importance of evapotranspiration (ET) in the hydrologic cycle has long been recognized; in central Florida, evapotranspiration is second only to precipitation in magnitude. Of the approximately 1,320 millimeters (mm) of mean annual rainfall in central Florida, 680 to 1,220 mm have been estimated to return to the atmosphere as evapotranspiration [44, 49]. Despite the importance of evapotranspiration in the hydrologic cycle, the magnitude, seasonal and diurnal distributions, and relation to environmental variables of evapotranspiration remain relatively unknown. Uncertainty in evapotranspiration from nonagricultural vegetation is particularly apparent. The mixed cypress wetland and pine flat wood forest cover examined in the present investigation is common in central Florida, as are the fires that burned much of the forest during the study. Accurate estimates of evapotranspiration from commonly occurring land covers are fundamental to the quantitative understanding necessary for prudent management of Florida’s water resources.
