The impact of multiscale rainfall forcing on biogeochemistry and biodiversity analyzed within the framework of Budyko's hydrologic partitioning (Invited)

The role of stochasticity in rainfall forcing from daily to seasonal and interannual scales on long term hydrologic partitioning is analyzed using the Budyko's framework to interpret the results of stochastic soil moisture models. We discuss related changes to Budyko's curve under different seasonality scenarios, showing that an increase in seasonal rainfall and potential evapotranspiration variability as well as dry season length can lead to a decrease in the annual evapotranspiration ratio. In addition, the role of deep water storage and irrigation is also discussed and shown to compensate for the decrease in evapotranspiration due to climate seasonality. The coupling of soil water partitioning to other biogeochemical and ecohydrological processes helps discern the effects of climate seasonality and interannual variability on biomass production, carbon storage, and biodiversity. These effects are also discussed within the framework of Budyko's dimensionless formulation of hydrologic partitioning.