Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes
Urban irrigation is an essential process in land–atmosphere interactions. It is one of the uncertain parameters of urban hydrology due to various microclimates. This study investigated the microclimate effects and irrigation water requirements of three landscape types in an arid region of Phoenix, A...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Hydrology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/9/6/104 |
| _version_ | 1797486753467072512 |
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| author | Rubab Saher Ariane Middel Haroon Stephen Sajjad Ahmad |
| author_facet | Rubab Saher Ariane Middel Haroon Stephen Sajjad Ahmad |
| author_sort | Rubab Saher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban irrigation is an essential process in land–atmosphere interactions. It is one of the uncertain parameters of urban hydrology due to various microclimates. This study investigated the microclimate effects and irrigation water requirements of three landscape types in an arid region of Phoenix, AZ. The microclimate effect encompassed surface temperature, air temperature, and wind speed. The simulations of the three landscapes were conducted using ENVI-met software for the hottest day of the year (23 June 2011). The simulated model was validated using ground data. Results show that the mesic landscape induced cooling effects, both in the daytime and nighttime, by reducing surface and air temperatures. However, the mesic landscape showed high-water consumption because of a high leaf area density. The oasis landscape showed 2 °C more daytime cooling than the mesic landscape, but the nighttime warming (surface temperature) was comparable to the xeric landscape. The potential irrigation water requirement was 1 mm/day lower than the mesic landscape. Moreover, microclimate conditions varied spatially in each neighborhood. The xeric landscape showed lower wind speeds and air temperatures between the buildings. The wind speed variations in the three landscapes were inconclusive due to differences in building orientations and discrepancies in trees’ heights. The findings can have implications for restricting the municipal irrigation budget. In addition, they can help water managers in choosing a landscape in urban areas. Urban scientists can adapt the methodology to quantify urban ET in arid regions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:37:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-324f8f9283bd44d3ab8e526d539871f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:37:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj.art-324f8f9283bd44d3ab8e526d539871f92023-11-23T16:56:36ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382022-06-019610410.3390/hydrology9060104Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric LandscapesRubab Saher0Ariane Middel1Haroon Stephen2Sajjad Ahmad3Department of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USASchools of Art, Media, and Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5802, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction, University of Nevada, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction, University of Nevada, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USAUrban irrigation is an essential process in land–atmosphere interactions. It is one of the uncertain parameters of urban hydrology due to various microclimates. This study investigated the microclimate effects and irrigation water requirements of three landscape types in an arid region of Phoenix, AZ. The microclimate effect encompassed surface temperature, air temperature, and wind speed. The simulations of the three landscapes were conducted using ENVI-met software for the hottest day of the year (23 June 2011). The simulated model was validated using ground data. Results show that the mesic landscape induced cooling effects, both in the daytime and nighttime, by reducing surface and air temperatures. However, the mesic landscape showed high-water consumption because of a high leaf area density. The oasis landscape showed 2 °C more daytime cooling than the mesic landscape, but the nighttime warming (surface temperature) was comparable to the xeric landscape. The potential irrigation water requirement was 1 mm/day lower than the mesic landscape. Moreover, microclimate conditions varied spatially in each neighborhood. The xeric landscape showed lower wind speeds and air temperatures between the buildings. The wind speed variations in the three landscapes were inconclusive due to differences in building orientations and discrepancies in trees’ heights. The findings can have implications for restricting the municipal irrigation budget. In addition, they can help water managers in choosing a landscape in urban areas. Urban scientists can adapt the methodology to quantify urban ET in arid regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/9/6/104microclimate effectsurban landscapessurface temperatureurban evapotranspirationurban irrigation |
| spellingShingle | Rubab Saher Ariane Middel Haroon Stephen Sajjad Ahmad Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes Hydrology microclimate effects urban landscapes surface temperature urban evapotranspiration urban irrigation |
| title | Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes |
| title_full | Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes |
| title_short | Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes |
| title_sort | assessing the microclimate effects and irrigation water requirements of mesic oasis and xeric landscapes |
| topic | microclimate effects urban landscapes surface temperature urban evapotranspiration urban irrigation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/9/6/104 |
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