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32 - Measured and modeled rainfall interception in a lower montane forest, Ecuador

from Part III - Hydrometeorology of tropical montane cloud forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 May 2011

By
K. Fleischbein ,
W. Wilcke ,
R. Goller ,
C. Valarezo ,
W. Zech  and
K. Knoblich
Edited by
L. A. Bruijnzeel ,
F. N. Scatena  and
L. S. Hamilton
K. Fleischbein
Affiliation:
University of Giessen, Germany
W. Wilcke
Affiliation:
Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany
R. Goller
Affiliation:
University of Bayreuth, Germany
C. Valarezo
Affiliation:
Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador
W. Zech
Affiliation:
University of Bayreuth, Germany
K. Knoblich
Affiliation:
University of Giessen, Germany
L. A. Bruijnzeel
Affiliation:
Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
F. N. Scatena
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania
L. S. Hamilton
Affiliation:
Cornell University, New York
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Summary

ABSTRACT

The evaporative loss of intercepted water from the canopy constitutes an important element of the water budget of forests. Starting April 1998, incident precipitation (P), throughfall (TF), and stemflow (SF) were measured in five transects laid out in three small watersheds (~10 ha each) with lower montane rain forest at 1900–2200 m.a.s.l. in South Ecuador. Interception loss (I) was also modeled using the analytical model of Gash (1979). The storage capacity of the leaves and of the trunks and branches, as well as the direct throughfall, and stemflow fractions were determined using conventional regression approaches. In addition, apparent total evaporation (ET) was determined from the water budget for the three watersheds. Mean annual P in the first 4 years ranged between 2363 and 2592 mm among the three watersheds. Average I derived from weekly measurements of P, TF, and SF ranged between 2.0 and 3.5 mm day−1 (i.e. 32–50% of P). Modeled average I was similar to measured values at 2.1–3.4 mm day−1 (32–49% of P). We found that I constituted an important part of the average estimated watershed ET of 3.5–4.3 mm day−1. The high evaporative losses are attributed to a combination of low rainfall intensities, the usual absence of fog, high canopy density, abundant epiphytes, and advected energy from lower elevations.

Type
Chapter
Information
Tropical Montane Cloud Forests
Science for Conservation and Management
 , pp. 309 - 316
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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