Using actual ET measurements at the ecosystem scale with VBR
The Variance Bowen Ratio (VBR) evapotranspiration sensor provides actual ET measurements that are missed when using reference and crop ET. The result? Site-specific data describing the water energy balance and water movement in your application.
The variance Bowen ratio (VBR) method in METER’s ATMOS 51 sensor uses the ratio of the temporal variations of temperature and specific humidity to generate the Bowen ratio, which integrates into energy balance equations to produce actual ET measurements. The result is a compact, easy-to-install sensor and data that provides a mechanistic understanding of water movement at your site.
Join METER research scientist Dr. Daniel Beverly for a 30-minute webinar to learn more about the theory behind ET measurements and the practical uses of each type. He will explore the role of Variance Bowen Ratio (VBR) technology in measuring actual ET as a standalone measurement or alongside existing weather stations and eddy covariance systems. You will learn:
- The differences between reference ET, crop ET, and actual ET
- How to characterize hydraulic plant stress more accurately using actual ET
- How VBR methods support scaling ET measurements across a larger area
- How to determine which instrument(s) and measurements match your application
Register now
Date: June 25, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. PDT
Presenter
Dr. Daniel Beverly is a Research Scientist at METER Group. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Ecology and Biology from the University of Northern Colorado, where he focused on measuring CO2 fluxes following bark-beetle infestations and the subsequent forest management. He received his PhD in Hydrological Sciences from the University of Wyoming, with a focus on using sapflux and eddy covariance to disentangle how plants, management practices, and climate change modulate CO2 and H2O fluxes.
Before joining METER Group, Daniel was a USDA Research Fellow at Indiana University, where he developed new tools for measuring soil water potential aligned with ecosystem-scale measurements of carbon and water exchange. His current research at METER Group is focused on developing instruments to measure the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum.
Next steps
- Learn more about evapotranspiration in our webinar Evapotranspiration: Pitfalls to avoid and why it’s easier than you think
- Explore different methods for measuring and responding to conditions that create hydraulic stress in plants in Irrigation water management—3 tools you might be missing
- Read how scientists are using ET and other data to evaluate the effectiveness of green roofs in urban areas
- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meter-group
Questions?
Our scientists have decades of experience helping researchers and growers measure the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum.
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