Which of the following are factors that influence evapotranspiration?

• A. Solar Radiation
• B. Wind
• C. Soil Factors
• D. All of the Above

Answer: (D)

Evapotranspiration is driven by energy, atmospheric demand, and water availability. Solar radiation provides the energy to heat water and drive evaporation from soil and transpiration from leaves. Wind moves away the water vapor near the leaf surface, increasing the vapor pressure gradient and speeding up both evaporation and plant transpiration. Soil factors determine how much water is accessible to plants and how easily water moves from the soil to the roots, which controls the plant’s ability to transpire and the soil’s own evaporation rate. When any of these elements is limiting, ET decreases; when they are favorable, ET rises. Because all three categories influence ET, the most accurate choice is the one that includes all of them.