Impact of tree saplings on the kinetic energy of rainfall: The importance of stand density, species identity and tree architecture in subtropical forests in China
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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in: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Jahrgang 156, 15.04.2012, S. 31-40.
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of tree saplings on the kinetic energy of rainfall
T2 - The importance of stand density, species identity and tree architecture in subtropical forests in China
AU - Geißler, Christian
AU - Lang, Anne C.
AU - Oheimb, Goddert
AU - Härdtle, Werner
AU - Baruffol, Martin
AU - Scholten, Thomas
N1 - ISSN 1873-2240
PY - 2012/4/15
Y1 - 2012/4/15
N2 - In order to estimate the influence of plant architectural traits on the erosivity of throughfall we studied throughfall kinetic energy (KE) under tree saplings in a plantation-like experiment in the humid subtropics. Our analyses of rainfall and throughfall KE are based on measurements using calibrated splash cups. Two experiments were carried out, one focusing on density effects and the other testing for species-specific effects and effects of species mixtures. The major architectural traits were measured to characterize sapling morphology. Mixed effects models were used for statistical analysis. In both models, rainfall KE was identified as the most important effect on throughfall KE. Overall, rainfall KE per area was reduced by 59% below the canopy of the studied saplings. We found a significant effect of sapling density on throughfall KE. This is primarily due to the relation between free throughfall and released throughfall. As free throughfall possesses a far higher KE than released throughfall originating from saplings, lower sapling density results in higher total throughfall KE. We also showed that the influence of density on throughfall KE decreases with increasing sapling height due to lateral canopy growth of the saplings.Throughfall KE was significantly different among species. We attribute this to species-specific differences in crown architectural traits. These traits have opposite influence on throughfall KE and interact with each other. Depending on its magnitude, one crown trait can possibly superimpose contrary effects of others.
AB - In order to estimate the influence of plant architectural traits on the erosivity of throughfall we studied throughfall kinetic energy (KE) under tree saplings in a plantation-like experiment in the humid subtropics. Our analyses of rainfall and throughfall KE are based on measurements using calibrated splash cups. Two experiments were carried out, one focusing on density effects and the other testing for species-specific effects and effects of species mixtures. The major architectural traits were measured to characterize sapling morphology. Mixed effects models were used for statistical analysis. In both models, rainfall KE was identified as the most important effect on throughfall KE. Overall, rainfall KE per area was reduced by 59% below the canopy of the studied saplings. We found a significant effect of sapling density on throughfall KE. This is primarily due to the relation between free throughfall and released throughfall. As free throughfall possesses a far higher KE than released throughfall originating from saplings, lower sapling density results in higher total throughfall KE. We also showed that the influence of density on throughfall KE decreases with increasing sapling height due to lateral canopy growth of the saplings.Throughfall KE was significantly different among species. We attribute this to species-specific differences in crown architectural traits. These traits have opposite influence on throughfall KE and interact with each other. Depending on its magnitude, one crown trait can possibly superimpose contrary effects of others.
KW - Biology
KW - Soil erosion experiment
KW - Throughfall kinetic energy
KW - Splash cups
KW - BEF-China
KW - Soil erosion
KW - Splash erosion
KW - BEF-China
KW - Soil erosion
KW - Soil erosion experiment
KW - Splash cups
KW - Splash erosion
KW - Throughfall kinetic energy
KW - Ecosystems Research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84856027195&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.agrformet.2011.12.005
DO - 10.1016/j.agrformet.2011.12.005
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 156
SP - 31
EP - 40
JO - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
JF - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
SN - 1873-2240
ER -