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

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

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.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAgricultural and Forest Meteorology
Volume156
Pages (from-to)31-40
Number of pages10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15.04.2012

    Research areas

  • Biology - BEF-China, Soil erosion, Soil erosion experiment, Splash cups, Splash erosion, Throughfall kinetic energy
  • Ecosystems Research

Recently viewed

Researchers

  1. Alia Rayyan

Publications

  1. Kostenmanagement
  2. Transdisziplinäre Entwicklungsteams
  3. The Influence of Personality on Career Decisiveness of Business Students
  4. Spatial distribution models in a frugivorous carnivore, the stone marten (Martes foina)
  5. Assessing collaboration, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder agency in coastal governance to enhance climate resilience
  6. Fishing in the Amazonian Forest
  7. Think globally, measure locally
  8. INEQUALITY REDUCES SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
  9. Eucamaragnathus desenderi, a new ground beetle species from Africa (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
  10. PROVENCE - An Eight Issue Magazine Dedicated to Hobbies
  11. Year-round cattle and horse grazing supports the restoration of abandoned, dry sandy grassland and heathland communities by supressing Calamagrostis epigejos and enhancing species richness
  12. Welcome to the (label) jungle? Analyzing how consumers deal with intra-sustainability label trade-offs on food
  13. Das Konzept
  14. BAuA-Working Time Survey (BAuA-WTS)
  15. Examens standardisés et représentations de l’examinateur
  16. Green in grey
  17. "Formate der Kunstvermittlung" an der Universität Lüneburg
  18. Kultur-Evolution: Partizipation und Nachhaltigkeit
  19. Entwurfsbasierte Interventionen in der transdisziplinären Forschung
  20. Prozessmanagement als Instrument für KMU
  21. Investigation of biodegradation behaviour of an Mg-1Ca alloy influenced by heat treatment and applying plasma-chemical oxidation layers
  22. Aufnahmen der Durchquerung
  23. Christ our light
  24. Crack propagation under bending in cast MglOGdxNd-T4 alloys
  25. BRANGE EFFECTS IN HEDONIC EVALUATION OF OLFACTORY STIMULI
  26. Finanzmathematische Effektivzins-Berechnungsmethoden
  27. Art. 17 OECD MA
  28. Multiple anthropogenic pressures challenge the effectiveness of protected areas in western Tanzania
  29. Wie wirksam sind Laufbahnberatungen?
  30. ARE WE THE BADDIES?
  31. On the Application of Laser Shock Peening as a Manufacturing and Repair Process to Improve the Fatigue Performance of Refill Friction Stir Spot-Welded AA2024-T3 Joints
  32. Facing the growing COVID-19 infodemic
  33. Response to Turnhout et al.’s rethinking biodiversity: From goods and services to “living with”
  34. Navigating the Family Support Paradox in Female Entrepreneurship – A Developing Country Perspective
  35. Evaluierung der Forschung zur Wirkung von Fluglärm auf den Menschen
  36. Managing Supplier Requirements with HSE Accounting
  37. Rapid Rise in the Groundwater after Heavy Rain
  38. Internal markets or hierachies
  39. Kollaboratives Problemlösen in PISA 2015