Ecohydrology (ECOHYD) is a new program element of the NASA Terrestrial Hydrology Program that focuses on interactions between water and ecosystems through the lens of the coupled water, energy, and carbon cycles. The program element is motivated by the hypothesis that periods of strong land−atmosphere coupling, which may be initiated by environmental pulse events, are limited in frequency and duration, but constitute untapped sources of hydroclimate predictability. This is due to the predictability of postpulse pathways of ecosystem response and change, including that of vegetation and root zone soil moisture at subseasonal to seasonal time scales. Through studying pulse events, researchers gain insights into how ecosystems respond to sudden changes and the factors that influence their resilience. Consistency in responses across the natural coupled water, energy, and carbon cycles to environmental pulses, including sudden changes in water availability and heat stress, can serve as a valuable test of model realism. Models that realistically represent ecosystem response to environmental pulses are more likely to skillfully predict the impacts of extreme weather associated with climate variability and therefore, inform more robust land and water resources management decision making.
To evaluate modeled pulse response realism, a shift from conventional time- and space-averaged skill assessment frameworks to event- or sequence-based assessment frameworks must be made. ECOHYD addresses the need for development and application of more holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to model evaluation and refinement that more fully leverage NASA’s unique Earth observing system capabilities together with observational datasets from interagency, commercial, and international partners.
Application Deadline: January 16, 2025 (Notice of Intent); March 19, 2025 (Full Proposals)
