Grapevines are extensively grown in the semiarid and arid regions, but little information is available on the variability of energy partitioning and resistance parameters for the vineyard. To address this question, an eddy covariance system was applied to measure energy balance over a vineyard in northwest China during 2005-2006. Result indicated that 2-year average Bowen ratio ([beta]) of vineyard was 1.0, canopy resistance (rc) 289.3sm-1, aerodynamic resistance (ra) 9.7sm-1 and climatological resistance (ri) 117sm-1. This implied that the annual energy was split almost equally between sensible heat and latent heat. Compared to the corresponding values in other ecosystems reported by Wilson et al. [Wilson, K.B., Baldocchi, D.D., Aubinet, M., Berbigier, P., Bernhofer, C., Dolman, H., Falge, E., Field, C., Goldstein, A., Granier, A., Grelle, A., Halldor, T., Hollinger, D., Katul, G., Law, B.E., Lindroth, A., Meyers, T., Moncrieff, J., Monson, R., Oechel, W., Tenhunen, J., Valentini, R., Verma, S., Vesala, T., Wofsy, S., 2002. Energy partitioning between latent and sensible heat flux during the warm season at FLUXNET sites. Water Resource Research 38, 1294-1305.], the vineyard had a higher [beta], rc and ri than deciduous forests, corn and soybean, and grassland. Such difference was mainly attributed to (1) serious water stress in 2005, which resulted in a greater rc up to 364.4sm-1; (2) sparse canopy with row spacing of 2.9m and plant spacing of 1.8m; (3) warm-dry climate and high attitude (1581m) along with higher ri and lower psychrometer (54PaK-1) in the arid region of northwest China. These characters of vineyard revealed varying process of energy partitioning and surface resistance, and provided a scientific basis in understanding and modeling water and energy balance for the vineyard in the semiarid and arid regions.
