Canopy water storage capacity and it`s effect on rainfall interception in a Pinus eldarica plantation in a semi-arid climate zone

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

2 Assistant Prof., Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

Abstract

Forest canopy rainfall interception loss (I) and canopy water storage capacity (S) are important components of the water balance in arid and semi-arid climate zones. The goal of this research was to quantify S and free throughfall (p) in a mature Pinus eldarica Medw. afforestation planted in the Chitgar Forest plantation near Tehran, Iran. Measurements of gross precipitation (GR (n=6)) and throughfall (TF (n=45)) were recorded on an event basis from September 2009 to April 2010. I was calculated as the difference between GR and TF. For the measurement period, GR totaled 164.8 mm and rainfall interception loss (I) was 61.2 mm. In this study S was estimated as 1.7 mm, 1.4 mm and 1.8 mm by methods of Leyton, Gash and Morton, and Pypker- Jackson, respectively. Free throughfall (p) was estimated 0.1422. I was estimated 44% and 91.3% of total GR for rainfall events sufficient to saturate the canopy (GR>1.6 mm) and insufficient to saturate the canopy (GR>1.6 mm), respectively. The results demonstrate that canopy storage capacity represents a considerable portion of intercepted rainfall from GR in P. eldarica plantation regions of the semi-arid climate zone of Iran where soil moisture is a limiting factor on plant growth and productivity.

Keywords

References

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