https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-68

Elrashidy, M.T., Ireson, A., Razavi, S. (2023) On the optimal level of complexity for the representation of wetland systems in land surface models. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-68

Wetland systems are among the largest stores of carbon on the planet, most biologically diverse of all ecosystems,8
and dominant controls of the hydrologic cycle. However, their representation in land surface models (LSMs), which are the9
terrestrial lower boundary of Earth system models (ESMs) that inform climate actions, is limited. Here, we explore different10
possible parametrizations to represent wetland-groundwater-upland interactions with varying levels of system and11
computational complexity. We perform a series of numerical experiments that are informed by field observations from12
wetlands in the well-instrumented White Gull Creek in Saskatchewan, in the boreal region of North America. We show that13
the typical representation of wetlands in LSMs, which ignores interactions with groundwater and uplands, can be inadequate.14
We show that the optimal level of model complexity depends on the land cover, soil type, and the ultimate modelling15
purpose, being nowcasting and prediction, scenario analysis, or diagnostic learning

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-68