TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiple stable states in hydrological models
T2 - an ecohydrological investigation
AU - Peterson, T. J.
AU - Argent, R. M.
AU - Western, A. W.
AU - Chiew, F. H.S.
PY - 2009/3/1
Y1 - 2009/3/1
N2 - Many physical-based models of surface and groundwater hydrology are constructed without the possibility of multiple stable states for the same parameter set. For such a conceptualization, at the cessation of a transient hydrological disturbance of any magnitude the model will return to the same stable state and thus show an infinite resilience. To highlight and falsify this assumption, a numerical distributed ecohydrological model (coupled hillslope Boussinesq-vertically lumped vadose zone) is presented, in which qualitatively different steady state water table elevations exist for the same parameter set. The multiple steady states are shown to emerge from a positive feedback arising from a reduction in leaf area index (LAI) and thus transpiration, as a saline water table approaches the surface. Limit cycle continuation is also undertaken to quantify the state-space location of the threshold (repellor) between the steady states (attractors) and quantify the resilience. While the model is biophysically simple, it is sufficiently complex to challenge this potentially significant assumption within water resource planning.
AB - Many physical-based models of surface and groundwater hydrology are constructed without the possibility of multiple stable states for the same parameter set. For such a conceptualization, at the cessation of a transient hydrological disturbance of any magnitude the model will return to the same stable state and thus show an infinite resilience. To highlight and falsify this assumption, a numerical distributed ecohydrological model (coupled hillslope Boussinesq-vertically lumped vadose zone) is presented, in which qualitatively different steady state water table elevations exist for the same parameter set. The multiple steady states are shown to emerge from a positive feedback arising from a reduction in leaf area index (LAI) and thus transpiration, as a saline water table approaches the surface. Limit cycle continuation is also undertaken to quantify the state-space location of the threshold (repellor) between the steady states (attractors) and quantify the resilience. While the model is biophysically simple, it is sufficiently complex to challenge this potentially significant assumption within water resource planning.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=65349185133&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2008WR006886
DO - 10.1029/2008WR006886
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:65349185133
SN - 0043-1397
VL - 45
JO - Water Resources Research
JF - Water Resources Research
IS - 3
M1 - W03406
ER -