calculation of soil to root conductance

[Crystal]

To whom it may concern:

Hope everything goes well.
I'm writing to ask about the function of soil-to-root conductance in the plant hydraulic pathway.

In Chapter 11 of CLM5 tech note (page 120), the calculation of soil-to-root conductance is calculated by the eq. 11.16-11.18 and the water flux from soil to root is calculated by eq.11.14 (attached f1.jpg)

However, when I checked the code about the calculation of soil-to-root conductance in CLM5, lines 3048-3090 in PhotosynthesisMod.F90, RAI is multiplied to the root conductance rather than soil-to-root conductance (I attached the code here)

! Lines 3048 - 3090
! calculate conversion from conductivity to conductance
            root_biomass_density = c_to_b * froot_carbon(p) * rootfr(p,j) / dz(c,j)
! ensure minimum root biomass (using 1gC/m2)
            root_biomass_density = max(c_to_b*1._r8,root_biomass_density)

! Root length density: m root per m3 soil
            root_cross_sec_area = rpi*root_radius(ivt(p))**2
            root_length_density = root_biomass_density / (root_density(ivt(p)) * root_cross_sec_area)

! Root-area index (RAI)
            rai(j) = (tsai(p)+tlai(p)) * froot_leaf(ivt(p)) * rootfr(p,j)

! fix coarse root_average_length to specified length
            croot_average_length = croot_lateral_length

! calculate r_soil using Gardner/spa equation (Bonan, GMD, 2014)
            r_soil = sqrt(1./(rpi*root_length_density))

! length scale approach
            soil_conductance = min(hksat(c,j),hk_l(c,j))/(1.e3_r8*r_soil)
            
! use vegetation plc function to adjust root conductance
               fs(j)=  plc(smp(c,j),p,root,veg)
            
! krmax is root conductance per area per length
            root_conductance = (fs(j)*rai(j)*params_inst%krmax(ivt(p)))/(croot_average_length + z(c,j))

            soil_conductance = max(soil_conductance, 1.e-16_r8)
            root_conductance = max(root_conductance, 1.e-16_r8)

            root_conductance_patch(p,j) = root_conductance
            soil_conductance_patch(p,j) = soil_conductance

! sum resistances in soil and root
            rs_resis = 1._r8/soil_conductance + 1._r8/root_conductance

! conductance is inverse resistance
! explicitly set conductance to zero for top soil layer
            if(rai(j)*rootfr(p,j) > 0._r8 .and. j > 1) then
               k_soil_root(p,j) =  1._r8/rs_resis
            else
               k_soil_root(p,j) =  0._r8
            endif

If we further check the calculation of root water potential in lines 5005-5011 in PhotosynthesisMod.F90, the RAI is not here either.

! Lines 5005 - 5011
! calculate root water potential
    if ( abs(sum(k_soil_root(p,1:nlevsoi))) == 0._r8 ) then
       x(root) = sum(smp(c,1:nlevsoi) - grav2)/nlevsoi
    else
       x(root) = (sum(k_soil_root(p,1:nlevsoi)*(smp(c,1:nlevsoi)-grav2))-qflx_sun-qflx_sha) &
                  /sum(k_soil_root(p,1:nlevsoi))
    endif

If I understand correctly, the code is a little bit inconsistent with eq.11.14 and eq.11.16-11.18 mentioned in the tech note. My question is when we calculate soil to root conductance, should RAI be multiplied to root conductance only, or the total soil to root conductance? Are there any simplifications or am I missing any details? Thanks a lot for your help and time.

 

[oleson]

Thanks, someone will look at this when they get back on Tuesday of next week.

 

[Crystal]

Thanks, someone will look at this when they get back on Tuesday of next week.

Many thanks for your kind reply. I'm looking forward to the discussion.

 

[swensosc]

I believe that the code is correct, and reflects changes made to the original implementation. RAI should modify krmax, and therefore the root conductance term, but not the soil conductance term. The technical note will need to be updated at some point in time.

 

[Crystal]

Thank you very much for your reply. It's really helpful for me to understand this part.