Effects of forest cover on water balance in protective forests

117-119

Artikel aus einem Buch

200208940

Keywords: Surface runoff, water balance, soil moisture, delayed reforestation, protective forest
The results of the twelve rainfall simulations show a wide range of different runoff coefficients (amount of surface runoff related to the amount of precipitation). In deforested areas from no runoff up to higher runoff coefficients compared to the areas under forest, where a more uniform behaviour was observed, with a range from no runoff up to lower runoff coefficients. This can be supported by other entries in the rainfall simulation database of the Austrian Research Centre for Forests. The comparison of the modelled and measured runoff curve shows good concordance for all plots in the maximum runoff coefficient but a retarded rise of the modelled surface runoff, whereby the parameterization of conductivity parameters plays a decisive role for the outcome. The delay of the modelled response could be also related to preferential flow effects near the surface, which are not yet taken in consideration by the model. To validate the results, soil moisture measurements were taken into account. The same moisture profile can be shown for measured and modelled values, even if there is a bias in values (figure 1), this could be related to the definition of a suitable water retention curve in the model