Water input from fog drip in the tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, South-West China

Abstract

This study examines the effects of land use and slope angle on runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss from hillslopes of the Loess Plateau in China. Farmland, wasteland and four forest treatments (sea buckthorn þ poplar, immature sea buckthorn, mature sea buckthorn, and immature Chinese pine) were the types of land use that were compared. The results showed that July was the critical period for runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss from farmland. Farmland was the most susceptible land use. Sea buckthorn þ poplar, immature sea buckthorn, and mature sea buckthorn limited the runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss. Farmland on slopes over 15 degrees should be abandoned because of the high erosion rate and nitrogen loss.

Where the rubber meets the garden

“…The non-native plants, known as 'water pumps' by the locals, suck up water and cause more surface runoff. As the soil water content is reduced, less evaporation takes place 3,4 . More water is also lost from the spaces between rubber trees, which grow farther apart than rainforest vegetation.…”

Fog- and Rainwater Chemistry in the Tropical Seasonal Rain Forest of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China

“…• C for the coldest month (January) (Liu et al, 2004). There are two distinct seasons, each with their distinctive characteristics.…”

“…The mean annual rainfall is 1487 mm, which is considerably lower than rain forest in other parts of the world. The radiation fogs was identified to be a critical source of water that sustains the tropical rain forest during dry seasons (Cao et al, 1996;Liu et al, 2004).…”

“…Radiation fogs are formed during the night when cooling effect caused by longwave radiation reduces the air temperature to or below its dew-point (LaBastille and Pool, 1978;Liu et al, 2004). Fog droplets are first formulate on or deposit on to forest canopy.…”

Leaf surface structures enable the endemic Namib desert grass Stipagrostis sabulicola to irrigate itself with fog water

“…In many regions of the world, fog and dew represent regularly occurring phenomena, and the impact of these events on hydrology and ecology of the local vegetation is often substantial [7 -9]. For example, fog drip (the shedding of droplets from leaves to the ground) and stem flow (the running-off of water from plant stems) may alter the local hydrological conditions [10][11][12]. In various arid regions, fog represents a valuable water source for the plants.…”