NET PRECIPITATION IN A SEMIDECIDUOUS FOREST FRAGMENT IN VIÇOSA CITY, MG
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Universidade Federal de Viçosa
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We aimed to evaluate the net precipitation and rainfall interception in a fragment of semideciduous forest at both early and advanced stages of regeneration in Viçosa city, Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil, from January 2012 through July 2013. Six plots were stablished, three in each regeneration stage area. For throughfall and stemflow quantification, 25 rain gauges and collectors were installed in trees having circumference higher than 15 cm, in each plot. An additional rain gauge was installed in an open area to quantify gross precipitation. Gross precipitation in the studied period was 1934 mm. On average, 79.3% and 72.6% of gross precipitation reached the soil via net precipitation in the areas at early and advanced regeneration stages, respectively. Rainfall interception by the forest canopy was higher in the advanced-regeneration area, corresponding to 25.8% of gross precipitation. In the early- regeneration area, on the other hand, rainfall interception accounted for 20.2% of gross precipitation. This suggests that more densely populated areas intercept more rainfall, and consequently have lower net precipitation. Thus, our study shows that rainwater distribution in forest environments changes according to their regeneration status. The replacement of species at different successional stages renders the water to follow different pathways, such as interception, stemflow, and throughfall. This information helps us understand that the succession process can be slow, yet it is the natural way of forest regeneration.
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