As the acreages of agricultural lands increase, changes in surface energetics and evapotranspiration
(ET) rates may arise consequently affecting regional climate regimes. The
objective of this study was to evaluate summertime ET dynamics and surface energy processes
in a subarctic agricultural farm in Interior Alaska. The study includes micrometeorological
and hydrological data. Results covering the period from June to September 2012
and 2013 indicated consistent energy fractions: LE/Rnet (67%), G/Rnet (6%), H/Rnet (27%)
where LE is latent heat flux, Rnet is the surface net radiation, G is ground heat flux and H is
the sensible heat flux. Additionally actual surface evapotranspiration from potential evaporation
was found to be in the range of 59 to 66%. After comparing these rates with those of
most prominent high latitude ecosystems it is argued here that if agroecosystem in high latitudes
become an emerging feature in the land-use, the regional surface energy balance will
significantly shift in comparison to existing Arctic natural ecosystems.
