Water and carbon balance of rubber trees modelled under changing climate and management-driven disturbances
Abstract
Rubber plantations play a critical role in the economy of Southeast Asia, yet their productivity is increasingly exposed to environmental variability and climate change. Process-based models able to represent the interactions between water and carbon dynamics are essential for assessing their current functioning and anticipating future responses. In this context, we adapted the CASTANEA-MAESPA model to simulate the biophysical functioning of mature rubber plantations in Thailand. We included in that model a newly developed module for latex production which takes into account management practices and links tapping-related processes to overall carbon allocation and growth. The model results were compared to water and carbon fluxes and stock data at a flux tower experimental site in the central-east Thailand (CRRC) and water fluxes and latex yield data at a research station in southern Thailand (SKRS). Good agreement is found between the simulated model outputs and the measured water and carbon fluxes and stocks at both sites. The model estimated at CRRC a gross primary productivity (GPP) of 25.95 t C ha-1 yr-1 for a 25-year-old rubber plantation, close to the observed 26.98 t C ha-1 yr-1. Simulated latex yield was 1.64 t C ha-1 yr-1 versus 1.80 t C ha-1 yr-1 observed, and simulated wood biomass was 117.96 t C ha-1 compared with 123.15 t C ha-1 observed, at CRRC. Overall, this work provided scientifically grounded results to understand latex production in Southeast Asia, while also identifying key knowledge gaps, particularly regarding the determinants of rubber leaf phenology.
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BibTeX
@misc{agbohessou2026water,
title = {{Water and carbon balance of rubber trees modelled under changing climate and management-driven disturbances}},
author = {Yélognissè Agbohessou and Guerric Le Maire and Yann Nouvellon and Christophe François and Nicolas Delpierre and Ivan Cornut and Poonpipope Kasemsap and Jate Sathornkich and Ornuma Duangngam and Duangrat Satakhun and Philippe Thaler},
howpublished = {HAL},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.5194/egusphere-2026-6008},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05842109v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Water and carbon balance of rubber trees modelled under changing climate and management-driven disturbances
AU - Yélognissè Agbohessou
AU - Guerric Le Maire
AU - Yann Nouvellon
AU - Christophe François
AU - Nicolas Delpierre
AU - Ivan Cornut
AU - Poonpipope Kasemsap
AU - Jate Sathornkich
AU - Ornuma Duangngam
AU - Duangrat Satakhun
AU - Philippe Thaler
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
PB - HAL
DO - 10.5194/egusphere-2026-6008
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05842109v1
AB - Rubber plantations play a critical role in the economy of Southeast Asia, yet their productivity is increasingly exposed to environmental variability and climate change. Process-based models able to represent the interactions between water and carbon dynamics are essential for assessing their current functioning and anticipating future responses. In this context, we adapted the CASTANEA-MAESPA model to simulate the biophysical functioning of mature rubber plantations in Thailand. We included in that model a newly developed module for latex production which takes into account management practices and links tapping-related processes to overall carbon allocation and growth. The model results were compared to water and carbon fluxes and stock data at a flux tower experimental site in the central-east Thailand (CRRC) and water fluxes and latex yield data at a research station in southern Thailand (SKRS). Good agreement is found between the simulated model outputs and the measured water and carbon fluxes and stocks at both sites. The model estimated at CRRC a gross primary productivity (GPP) of 25.95 t C ha-1 yr-1 for a 25-year-old rubber plantation, close to the observed 26.98 t C ha-1 yr-1. Simulated latex yield was 1.64 t C ha-1 yr-1 versus 1.80 t C ha-1 yr-1 observed, and simulated wood biomass was 117.96 t C ha-1 compared with 123.15 t C ha-1 observed, at CRRC. Overall, this work provided scientifically grounded results to understand latex production in Southeast Asia, while also identifying key knowledge gaps, particularly regarding the determinants of rubber leaf phenology.
ER -