Experimental analysis of moisture dynamics of litter layers—the effects of rainfall conditions and leaf shapes

Sato, Yoshinobu; Kumagai, Tomo’omi; Kume, Atsushi; Otsuki, Kyoichi; Ogawa, Shinji

doi:10.1002/hyp.5746

Cited by 138 publications

(227 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…These studies indicate that storage capacity of litter layers increased linearly to litter mass (Putuhena and Cordery, 1996;Sato et al, 2004). Also Sato et al (2004) demonstrated that rainfall intensity increased C min and C max of litter layers. For example C min increased from 0.44 to 1.03 mm for Cryptomeria japonica (D. Don) and from 1.33 to 1.74 mm for Lithocarpus edulis (Nakai) when rainfall intensity was 5 and 50 mm h −1 .…”

Section: Bases For the Study Of Storage And Drainagementioning

confidence: 69%

“…However, the mass of litter on the ground varies in space and time; species composition, wind, water, fire, animals and decay are important factors. Recent research in this field sampled the upper layer of the forest floor and analyzed interception under natural rainfall (Gerrits et al, 2007) or simulated rainfall (Pitman, 1989;TobonMarin et al, 2000;Sato et al, 2004). These studies indicate that storage capacity of litter layers increased linearly to litter mass (Putuhena and Cordery, 1996;Sato et al, 2004).…”

Section: Bases For the Study Of Storage And Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent research in this field sampled the upper layer of the forest floor and analyzed interception under natural rainfall (Gerrits et al, 2007) or simulated rainfall (Pitman, 1989;TobonMarin et al, 2000;Sato et al, 2004). These studies indicate that storage capacity of litter layers increased linearly to litter mass (Putuhena and Cordery, 1996;Sato et al, 2004). Also Sato et al (2004) demonstrated that rainfall intensity increased C min and C max of litter layers.…”

Section: Bases For the Study Of Storage And Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Four rainfall intensities were tested: 9.8, 30.2, 40.4 and 70.9 mm h −1 ; this range of rainfall intensity was considered representative of natural conditions and was similar to the range of rainfall intensities used by Sato et al (2004).…”

Section: Test 1: Effect Of Rainfall Intensity On Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, Keim et al (2005) stressed the importance of throughfall spatial patterns; furthermore, patterns in throughfall water cannot directly be related to patterns in water content without knowledge of litter characteristics such as drainage (Raat et al,important for broad-leaf litter and much less for needle-leaf litter; thus flow channels spatially influenced storage capacity and drainage (Sato et al, 2004). Lateral movement of water in the litter layer would be another mechanism contributing to soil water variability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental analysis of drainage and water storage of litter layers

Guevara-Escobar

González-Sosa

Ramos-Salinas

et al. 2007

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Many hydrological studies of forested ecosystems focus on the study of the forest canopy and have partitioned gross precipitation into throughfall and stemflow. However, the presence of forest litter can alter the quantities of water available for soil infiltration and runoff. Little information exists regarding the value of storage and drainage parameters for litter layers. Vegetation parameters of this kind are required in physically-based and lumped conceptual models to quatify the availabilty and distribution of water. Using a rainfall simulator and laboratory conditions two main objectives were investigated using layers of recently seneced poplar leaves, fresh grass or woodchips: 1) Effect of rain intensity on storage. With this respect we found that: maximum storage (C max ), defined as the detention of water immediately before rainfall cessation, increased with rainfall intensity. The magnitude of the increment was up to 0.5 mm kg −1 m −2 between the lowest (9.8 mm h −1 ) and highest (70.9 mm h −1 ) rainfall intensities for poplar leaves. Minimum storage (C min ), defined as the detention of water after drainage ceased, was not influenced by rainfall intensity. Repeated wetting-draining cycles or layer thickness have no effect on C max or C min .2) The evaluation of drainage coefficient for the Rutter model. This model was found accurate to predict storage and drainage in the case of poplar leaves, was less accurate for fresh grass and resulted in overestimations for woodchips.Additionally, the effect of an underlaying soil matrix on lateral movement of water and storage of poplar leaves was studied. Results indicated that the soil matrix have no effect on C max or C min of the litter layer. Lateral movement of water in the poplar layer was observed at intermediate rainfall intensities (30.2 and 40.4 mm h −1 ), but not a the lowest or highest rates.

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Section: Bases For the Study Of Storage And Drainagementioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Bases For the Study Of Storage And Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Bases For the Study Of Storage And Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Test 1: Effect Of Rainfall Intensity On Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Experimental analysis of drainage and water storage of litter layers

Guevara-Escobar

González-Sosa

Ramos-Salinas

et al. 2007

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Understanding the water dynamics on a tropical forest litter using a new device for interception measurement

2018

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Forest litter is a layer on the forest floor formed by materials falling from the vegetation. It plays an important role in the interception process in forests and, combined with canopy interception, can represent up to 50% of the total evaporation. However, the forest litter interception is usually underestimated and has been neglected mainly because of the difficulties in performing these measurements. This paper presents an equipment called Litter Interception Device (LID), which can be used both in laboratory and on site to measure the forest litter interception and the intensity of water flux to the soil. We tested and calibrated the LID in laboratory using three different simulated rainfall intensities above three different litter samples amounts. The samples were collected in an undisturbed wooded Cerrado area located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The maximum and minimum water storage capacities of the wooded Cerrado litter ranged between 1.0–3.07 and 0.78–2.27 mm, respectively. The device enables continuous measurements of the litter interception with 0.006 mm min−1 of precision and can assist future studies on the role of forest litter on hydrological processes and water balance improvements.

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Potential for significant precipitation cycling by forest‐floor litter and deadwood

et al. 2022

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The forest-floor litter layer can retain substantial volumes of water, thus affecting evaporation and soil-moisture dynamics. However, litter layer wetting/drying dynamics are often overlooked when estimating forest water budgets. Here, we present field and laboratory experiments characterizing water cycling in the forest-floor litter layer and outline its implications for subcanopy microclimatic conditions and for estimates of transpiration and recharge. Storage capacities of spruce needle litter and beech broadleaf litter averaged 3.1 and 1.9 mm, respectively, with drainage/ evaporation timescales exceeding 2 days. Litter-removal experiments showed that litter reduced soil water recharge, reduced soil evaporation rates, and insulated against ground heat fluxes that impacted snowmelt. Deadwood stored $0.7 mm of water, increasing with more advanced states of decomposition, and retained water for >7 days. Observed daily cycles in deadwood weight revealed decreasing water storage during daytime as evaporation progressed and increasing storage at night from condensation or absorption. Water evaporating from the forest-floor litter layer modulates the subcanopy microclimate by increasing humidity, decreasing temperature, and reducing VPD. Despite the relatively small litter storage capacity (<3.1 mm in comparison to $10 2 mm for typical forest soil rooting zones), the litter layer alone retained and cycled 18% of annual precipitation, or 1/3 of annual evapotranspiration.These results suggest that overlooking litter interception may lead to substantial overestimates of recharge and transpiration in many forest ecosystems.

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Experimental analysis of moisture dynamics of litter layers—the effects of rainfall conditions and leaf shapes

Cited by 138 publications

References 15 publications

Experimental analysis of drainage and water storage of litter layers

Experimental analysis of drainage and water storage of litter layers

Understanding the water dynamics on a tropical forest litter using a new device for interception measurement

Potential for significant precipitation cycling by forest‐floor litter and deadwood

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