Abstract
In Mediterranean ecosystems, the catchment water balance is directly affected by land use. Type, density and structure of
vegetation determine important hydrological processes. In recent years, considerable efforts have been made to adequately
reproduce and predict the interaction between the vegetation and the water cycle under different scales. The present study
compares the capability of two models in reproducing the interaction between vegetation and water of a Mediterranean catchment.
The models are BIOME-BGC and LUE, and both are validated using fi eld data and satellite imaginary. The comparison shows a
better performance of BIOME-BGC reproducing vegetation dynamics. However, BIOME-BGC shows also limitations: the scale,
which can be too detailed for watershed studies; the initial physiological parameters, which can be diffi cult to estimate both
spatially and temporary; and the lack of a proper hydrological representation. On the contrary, LUE performs better under
watershed scale and it needs less information, but since it is a parsimonious and conceptual model, some vegetation processes are
neglected. According to the models comparison, the best model can be selected depending on the scale and the objective of the
study. A proper combination of both models would lead to a more suitable model that reproduces accurately vegetation-water
interaction.
