The Priestley-Taylor coefficient (α) was calculated based on the Bowen method evapotranspiration estimative for Vochysia divergens monospecific forests in Pantanal, Brazil. The study area was located at the northeastern Pantanal, approximately 160 km from Cuiabá city, Mato Grosso State, Brazil (16º39'50''S; 56º47'50''W). Continuous micrometeorological flux measurements at a 32 m tower height were made from January to December of 2007. The evapotranspiration ranged from 2.26 mm day-1 (dry season) to 4.50 mm day-1 (wet season). The average estimated α value ranged along the year from a maximum and a minimum during the dry and wet season respectively, with an annual average of 0.65±0.18 according to the weather pattern over the study area due to the increase of water content in soil/water flooding depth and/or decrease in evaporative demand. Based on empirical α values, estimates of evapotranspiration can be improved for Vochysia divergens forests on Pantanal floodplain.
evapotranspiration; floodplain; seasonality
