Streamflow Changes Associated with Forest Cutting, Species Conversions, and Natural Disturbances

Swank, Wayne T.; Swift, Lloyd W.; Douglass, Jàmes E.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4612-3732-7_22

Cited by 128 publications

(93 citation statements)

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“…Such thresholds tend to be variable due to differences in topography, vegetation, geology, hydrological regime, and climate. For example, in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States, only 10 % reduction in forest cover can produce a detectable response in annual mean flow (Swank et al, 1988), while in the Central Plains of the United States, 50 % harvest might be required for a significant change in flow (Stednick, 1996). Generally, it is believed that more than 20 % of the watershed area must be changed or disturbed to detect a significant change in streamflow in small watersheds (Bosch and Hewlett, 1982;Hetherington, 1987).…”

Section: Thresholds Of Forest Disturbance For Significant Hydrologicamentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of cumulative forest disturbance on streamflow in a large watershed in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada

Zhang

Wei

2012

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The Baker Creek watershed (1570 km 2 ), situated in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada, has been severely disturbed by both logging and natural disturbance, particularly by a recent large-scale mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation (up to 2009, 70.2 % of the watershed area had been attacked by MPB) and subsequent salvage logging. The concept of equivalent clear-cut area (ECA) was used to indicate the magnitude of forest disturbance, with consideration of hydrological recovery following various types of disturbance (wildfire, logging and MPB infestation), cumulated over space and time in the watershed. The cumulative ECA peaked at 62.2 % in 2009. A combined approach of statistical analysis (i.e. time series analysis) and graphic method (modified double mass curve) was employed to evaluate the impacts of forest disturbance on hydrology. Our results showed that severe forest disturbance significantly increased annual mean flow. The average increment in annual mean flow caused by forest disturbance was 48.4 mm yr −1 , while the average decrease in annual mean flow caused by climatic variability during the same disturbance period was 35.5 mm yr −1 . The opposite changes in directions and magnitudes clearly suggest an offsetting effect between forest disturbance and climatic variability, with the absolute influential strength of forest disturbance (57.7 %) overriding that from climate variability (42.3 %). Forest disturbance also produced significant positive effects on low flow and dry season (fall and winter) mean flow. Implications of our findings for future forest and water resources management are discussed in the context of long-term watershed sustainability.

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Section: Thresholds Of Forest Disturbance For Significant Hydrologicamentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of cumulative forest disturbance on streamflow in a large watershed in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada

Zhang

Wei

2012

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…15.4 (Swank and Vose 1994;Swank et al 1988Swank et al , 2001. Below is a synopsis of key findings in terms of forest influences on water and micrometeorology at a small watersheds scale.…”

Section: Case Study 1: Effects Of Forest Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest Influences on Climate and Water Resources at the Landscape to Regional Scale

Sun

Liu

2013

Landscape Ecology for Sustainable Environment and Culture

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Although it is well known that climate controls the distribution, productivity and functioning of vegetation on earth, our knowledge about the role of forests in regulating regional climate and water resources is lacking. The studies on climate-forests feedbacks have received increasing attention from the climate change and ecohydrology research communities. The goal of this study is to provide an in-depth examination of forest-climate-water interactions by synthesizing recent scientific literature on the influences of forests on climate and water resources from watershed to regional scale. The synthesis paper provides a review of the state of art of our understanding of the mechanisms of interactions of forests and climate and water resources at the landscape and regional scale. The paper presents two case studies that examine the influences of forests on microclimate, watershed hydrology, and regional climate and water resources at a small watershed to region scale using literature from the Coweeta Hydrological Laboratory in the southeast U.S. and a simulation study on the North China Shelter Belt Project. Future research gaps were identified in terms of integrated Earth System modeling to guide forest management for global change mitigation and adaptation.

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“…Similar research work was done in the United States in the Coweeta catchment in the 1930s and the Hubbard Brook catchment in the 1960s. Each research team proceeded by cutting down trees using a variety of methods followed by an observation of changes in water chemistry in surface water and groundwater (Swank et al 1988). Similar research was conducted in the western Sudety Mountains and the Silesian Beskid Range in southern Poland in catchments with tree stands decaying due to the effects of industrial pollution generated in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic (Černy and Pačes 1995, Pierzgalski et al 2007, Kosmowska et al 2015.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of deforestation on water chemistry in the Kościeliska Valley in the Western Tatras in southern Poland

Żelazny¹,

Kosmowska²,

Stańczyk³

et al. 2017

Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW. Land Reclamation

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Effect of deforestation on water chemistry in the Kościeliska Valley in the Western Tatras in southern Poland. Bark beetle infestation is a leading source of local tree stand damage in Tatra National Park. In addition, hurricane-force winds also cause damage to tree stands, as in the case of the 2013 wind event in the Kopki Kościeliskie area of the Kościeliska Valley. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of deforestation on seasonal changes in water chemistry, especially in the case of nitrate. The research was performed in the years 2015 and 2016 in seven catchments. The total number of monthly water samples was 175. Three forested catchments were selected along with two catchments deforested by high winds, one catchment deforested due to the action of the bark beetle, and one catchment affected by several different forms of deforestation. The following four types of measurements were performed in the field: pH, electrolytic conductance (EC25°C), total mineralization (Mt). The following analyses were performed in the laboratory using DIONEX 2000 ion chromatography equipment – concentration of 14 ions in water samples: Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, Li+, HCO3−, SO42−, Cl−, NO2−, NO3−, PO43−, Br−, F−. The concentration of NO3− was many times higher in samples collected in deforested areas (x̅ = 16.53 mg·L−1) versus forested areas (x̅ = 3.06 mg·L−1). The share of NO3− in overall water chemistry in catchments deforested by high wind events is more than three times higher (3.25% mval·L−1) than in forested catchments (1.07% mval·L−1), and almost twice as high as that for a catchment affected by the bark beetle (1.8% mval·L−1). In fact, it is high enough that the position of the nitrate ion in the sequence of anions in the deforested catchment shifts from HCO3 > SO4 > NO3 > Cl (natural sequence occurring in forested carbonate-type catchments) to HCO3 > NO3 > SO4 > Cl. In addition, the concentration of nitrate in stream water was found to be lower during the vegetation season, which is associated with the nitrogen intake of plant root systems in the summer season.

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Streamflow Changes Associated with Forest Cutting, Species Conversions, and Natural Disturbances

Cited by 128 publications

References 0 publications

The effects of cumulative forest disturbance on streamflow in a large watershed in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada

The effects of cumulative forest disturbance on streamflow in a large watershed in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada

Forest Influences on Climate and Water Resources at the Landscape to Regional Scale

Effect of deforestation on water chemistry in the Kościeliska Valley in the Western Tatras in southern Poland

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