evapotranspiration
/ɪˌveɪpoʊˌtrænspəˈreɪʃən/
Definition
The combined process by which water is transferred from the land surface to the atmosphere through evaporation from soil and transpiration from plants.
Etymology
The word is a portmanteau formed by combining 'evaporation' and 'transpiration'. It entered scientific terminology in the 20th century to describe the unified physical and biological movement of water into the atmosphere.
In the news
In the article, evapotranspiration is mentioned as a key land-surface process simulated by climate models to help track water movement within the earth-climate system. Including this process is essential for models to accurately represent how the land surface interacts with the atmosphere.
How Attribution Science Uses Models to Uncover Climate Change’s Effects on Weather
Read the full article ↗The Equation - Union of Concerned Scientists