Impact of landuse change on ecohydrological function of canopy in Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) forest in Ghale-gol watershed, Lorestan

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

2 Associate Prof., Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

3 Associate Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO)

4 Associate Prof., Department of Forestry, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Abstract

Ecohydrological functions of canopy are significantly influenced by landuse change. This study was conducted across four current landuse types within the Gale-gol watershed (Khorramabad, Lorestan), including semi-natural forest, disturbed forest, forest farming, and orchards established on converted Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) stands. Field measurements of precipitation (P) and T were made over a period of 12 months starting from January 2013. Four rain collectors were placed in an open area adjacent to each of the landuse types to measure P. In addition, 12 trees were randomly chosen for each of the landuses and four throughfall collectors were installed under the canopy of each tree to measure T. Tree parameters were measured using 15 sample plots of 2500 m2 for each landuse type. I and S were estimated using P and T measured data. The results showed a rate of annual P = 526.3 mm. Furthermore, ANOVA results revealed an outstanding difference between T and I across four investigated landuses including semi-natural forest (T = 353.9, I=172.4 mm), disturbed forest (T = 403.0, I = 123.4 mm), forest farming (T = 429.8, I = 96.5 mm), and orchards (T = 418.3, I = 108.0 mm) at 5 percent significance level. The ecohydrological functions of canopy in semi-natural forest (with 60% canopy and a density of 212 tree/ha) were associated with the minimum negative effects when compared to forest farming (with 26% canopy and a density of 144 tree/ha) and disturbed forest (with 11% canopy and a density of 52 tree/ha). The components of Linear Regression models also proved that the I estimated by P (0.794 < r2 < 0.856) is more accurate than DBH (0.654 < r2 < 0.837). The findings of this study are concluded to improve the existing understanding of ecohydrological canopy function. This function can be implemented as a part of forest resources management to regulate the relationship between canopy and water resources cycle.

Keywords


Adl, H.R., 2007. Estimation of leaf biomass and leaf area index of two major species in Yasuj forests. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 15(4): 417-426 (In Persian).
- Anonymous, 2007. Detailed Implementation Plan for the Ghale-Gol Basin, Khoramabad. Published by Abandyshan Azar Corporation (Consulting Engineers), Lorestan Natural Resources Administration, Khoramabad, 73p (In Persian).
- Anonymous, 2015. Climatic statistics of the Khoramabad Synoptic Station from 1951 to 2010. Available at: http://www.irimo.ir/ (In Persian).
- Asbjornsen, H., Goldsmith, G.R., Alvarado-Barrientos, M.S., Rebel, K., Van Osch, F.P., Rietkerk, M., Chen, J., Gotsch, S., Tobon, C., Geissert, D.R., Gomez-Tagle, A., Vache, K. and Dawson, T.E., 2011. Ecohydrological advances and applications in plant–water relations research: a review. Journal of Plant Ecology, 4(1-2): 3-22.
- Calder, I.R., 1998. Water use by forests: limits and controls. Tree Physiology, 18(8-9): 625-631.
- Calder, I.R., 2001. Canopy processes: implications for transpiration, interception and splash induced erosion, ultimately for forest management and water resources. Plant Ecology, 153(1-2): 203-214.
- Calder, I., Hofer, T., Vermont, S. and Warren, P., 2007. Towards a new understanding of forests and water. Unasylva, 229(58): 3-10.
- Crockford, R.H. and Richardson, D.P., 2000. Partitioning of rainfall into throughfall, stemflow, and interception: effect of forest type, ground cover and climate. Hydrological Processes, 14(16-17): 2903-2920.
- David, T.S., Gash, J.H.C., Valente, F., Pereira, J.S., Ferreira, M.I. and David, J.S., 2006. Rainfall interception by an isolated evergreen oak tree in a Mediterranean savannah. Hydrological Processes, 20(13): 2713-2726.
- Fathizadeh, O., Attarod, P., Pypker, T.G., Darvishsefat, A.A. and Zahedi Amiri, Gh., 2013. Seasonal variability of rainfall interception and canopy storage capacity under individual oak (Quercus brantii) trees of western Iran. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 15(1): 175-188 (In Persian).
- Fleischbein, K., Wilcke, W., Goller, R., Boy, J., Valarezo, C., Zech, W. and Knoblich, K., 2005. Rainfall interception in a lower montane forest in Ecuador: effects of canopy properties. Hydrological Processes, 19(7): 1355-1371.
- Ghazanfari, H., Namiranian, M., Sobhani, H. and Mohajer, R.M., 2004. Traditional forest management and its application to encourage public participation for sustainable forest management in the northern Zagros mountains of Kurdistan province, Iran. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 19(4): 65-71.
- Haworth, K. and McPherson, G.R., 1995. Effects of Quercus emoryi trees on precipitation distribution and microclimate in a semi-arid savanna. Journal of Arid Environments, 31(2): 153-170.
- Holder, C.D., 2004. Rainfall interception and fog precipitation in a tropical montane cloud forest of Guatemala. Forest Ecology and Management, 190(2-3): 373-384.
- Jazirehi, M.H. and Ebrahimi Rostaghi, M., 2003. Silviculture in Zagros. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 560p (In Persian).
- Motahari, M. and Attarod, P., 2012. Canopy water storage capacity and its effect on rainfall interception in a Pinus eldarica plantation in a semi-arid climate zone. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 20(1): 96-109 (In Persian).
- Pereira, F.L., Gash, J.H.C., David, J.S., David, T.S., Monteiro, P.R. and Valente, F., 2009. Modelling interception loss from evergreen Oak Mediterranean Savannas: application of a tree-based modelling approach. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 149 (3-4): 680-688.
- Pypker, T.G., Bond, B.J., Link, T.E., Marks, D. and Unsworth, M.H., 2005. The importance of canopy structure in controlling the interception loss of rainfall: examples from a young and an old-growth Douglas-fir forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 130(1-2):113-129.
- Rahmani, R., Sadoddin, A. and Ghorbani, S., 2011. Measuring and modelling precipitation components in an Oriental beech stand of the Hyrcanian region, Iran. Journal of Hydrology, 404(3-4): 294-303.
- Ritter, E., Dalsgaard, L. and Einhorn, K.S., 2005. Light, temperature and soil moisture regimes following gap formation in a semi-natural beech-dominated forest in Denmark. Forest Ecology and Management, 206(1-3): 15-33.
- Sagheb Talebi, Kh., Sajedi, T., and Pourhashemi, M., 2014. Forests of Iran: A Treasure from the Past, A Hope for the Future, Springer.
- Scurlock, J.M.O., Asner, G.P. and Gower, S.T., 2001. Global Leaf Area Index Data from Field Measurements, 1932-2000: Data Set. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.
- Shahsavari, A., 1994. Natural Forests and Woody Plants of Iran (translation). Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, 79p (In Persian).
- Sraj, M., Brilly, M. and Mikos, M., 2008. Rainfall interception by two deciduous Mediterranean forests of contrasting stature in Slovenia. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 148(1): 121-134.
- Troch, P.A., Martinez, G.F., Pauwels, V.R.N., Durcik, M., Sivapalan, M., Harman, C., Brooks, P.D., Gupta, H. and Huxman, T., 2009. Climate and vegetation water use efficiency at catchment scales. Hydrological Processes, 23(16): 2409-2414.
- Vose, J.M., Sun, G., Ford, C.R., Bredemeier, M., Otsuki, K., Wei, Xi., Zhang, Zh. and Zhang, L., 2011. Forest ecohydrological research in the 21st century: what are the critical needs?. Ecohydrology, 4(2): 146-158.
- Wang, Z.H. and Duan, C.Q., 2010. How do plant morphological characteristics, species composition and richness regulate eco-hydrological function? Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 52(12): 1086-1099.
- Xiao, Q.F., McPherson, E.G., Ustin, S.L., Grismer, M.E. and Simpson, J.R., 2000. Winter rainfall interception by two mature open-grown trees in Davis, California. Hydrological Processes, 14(4): 763-784.
- Yachkaschi, A., 1977. The Forest Socioeconomic Values. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 248p (In Persian).