Qiao et al. (2026) Comparison and application of remote sensing evapotranspiration retrieval models for the Inner Mongolian grassland region

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural Water Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-02
• Authors: Kun Qiao, Dianyu Chen, Hu XiaoNing, Shiyang Liu, Xiaotao Hu, Likai He, Xiujun Han
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110833

Research Groups

• Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University
• College of Science, Northwest A&F University
• National Center of Technology Innovation for Prataculture

Short Summary

This study evaluates the performance of three remote sensing evapotranspiration retrieval models (SWH, PM, and SEBAL) in the Inner Mongolian grassland region. The Shuttleworth-Wallace-Hu model outperformed the other two models in accuracy and uncertainty.

Objective

• To calibrate key parameters of the SWH, PM, and SEBAL models using Bayesian inference constrained by EC observations.
• To compare performance and uncertainty of the three models and determine the most suitable model for application in the Inner Mongolian grasslands.
• To generate highly accurate long-term spatiotemporal ET for the Inner Mongolian grasslands.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional scale, covering an area of 1.183 million km2 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
• Temporal Scale: 2003–2018, with a time step of 8 days.

Methodology and Data

• Models used:
  • Shuttleworth-Wallace-Hu (SWH) model
  • Penman-Monteith (PM) model
  • Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model
• Data sources:
  • MODIS remote-sensing products
  • Soil moisture data from the Global Long-Term Gap-Free Daily Surface Soil Moisture Dataset
  • Meteorological forcing data from the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset

Main Results

• The SWH model outperformed the PM and SEBAL models in accuracy and uncertainty.
• The average annual ET for the Inner Mongolian grassland region was estimated to be around 600 mm.
• The spatial patterns of ET, E, T, T/ET, and WUE exhibited high values in eastern than western regions.

Contributions

• This study provides a basis for understanding grassland responses to climate change and supporting sustainable water management and ecological conservation.
• The findings can have meaningful implications for sound ecological restoration and sustainable grassland utilization.

Funding

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51779209)
• Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. IRT17R56)

Citation

@article{Qiao2026Comparison,
  author = {Qiao, Kun and Chen, Dianyu and XiaoNing, Hu and Liu, Shiyang and Hu, Xiaotao and He, Likai and Han, Xiujun},
  title = {Comparison and application of remote sensing evapotranspiration retrieval models for the Inner Mongolian grassland region},
  journal = {Agricultural Water Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110833},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110833}
}