In rainforests, which type of ET is usually highest?

In rainforests, actual evapotranspiration (ET) is typically the highest due to the consistently high levels of precipitation and humidity coupled with warm temperatures. Actual ET represents the real amount of water that is transferred from the land to the atmosphere through both evaporation from the soil and transpiration from plants.

Rainforests, with their dense canopy and abundant plant life, create an environment where a significant amount of water is taken up by plants and released into the atmosphere. This process is facilitated by the warm temperatures that enhance the rate of transpiration, along with the high moisture availability in the soil due to frequent rainfall. Consequently, the actual ET in these ecosystems can be quite substantial, frequently reflecting almost all available moisture, thus making it the highest when compared to potential evapotranspiration, relative ET, and evaporative ET.

Potential ET represents the maximum rate of ET that could occur given unlimited moisture availability—an unlikely scenario in rainforests, where moisture isn't a limiting factor. Relative ET typically refers to the actual ET in comparison to potential ET, highlighting how much of the potential is realized. Evaporative ET focuses only on evaporation from water surfaces and not the comprehensive water loss via both soil and plants. Hence, actual ET stands out