Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2789
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2789
08 Dec 2023
 | 08 Dec 2023

Rainfall redistribution in subtropical Chinese forests changes over 22 years

Wanjun Zhang, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Qianmei Zhang, Guowei Chu, Linhua Wang, and Juxiu Liu

Abstract. Rainfall redistribution through the vegetation canopy plays a key role in the hydrological cycle. Although there have been studies on the heterogeneous patterns of rainfall redistribution in some ecosystems, the understanding of this process in different stages of forest succession remains insufficient. Therefore, this study investigated the change tendency of rainfall redistribution and rainwater chemistry in a subtropical succession forest area in South China, based on 22 years (2001–2022) of monitoring 740 valid rainfall events. Results showed that at the event scale throughfall ratio showed in order broadleaf forest (BF) < mixed forest (MF) < pine forest (PF), and stemflow ratio showed in order BF > MF > PF. At the interannual scale, annual gross rainfall considerably shifted over time, which directly induced the variable accumulation of annual throughfall and annual stemflow. In the last 22 years, annual variability of throughfall presented in order MF (CV, 9.7 %) < BF (15.6 %) < PF (16.1 %), and annual variability of stemflow presented in order MF (CV, 38.6 %) < PF (50.9) < BF (56.2 %). The spatial variability of stemflow was always greater than that of throughfall. Besides, the difference of rainwater chemistry fluxes (TN, TP and K+) among the three forest types were found and they changed over time. Throughfall was characterized with high chemistry fluxes compared to open rainfall followed by stemflow. On average, TN and TP fluxes of throughfall presented in order BF < MF < PF, while K+ flux of throughfall presented in order BF > MF > PF. The above results indicated that the patterns of rainfall redistribution often changed over time. The event-scale accumulation of throughfall and stemflow potentially induced the interannual-scale variability. Both water volume and chemistry of throughfall and stemflow depended on the effect of rainfall and forest factors. This study provided insight into the rainfall redistribution process by linking the long-term changing of rainfall pattern and subtropical forest succession sequence.

Wanjun Zhang, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Qianmei Zhang, Guowei Chu, Linhua Wang, and Juxiu Liu

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2789', Anonymous Referee #1, 16 Feb 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Wanjun Zhang, 14 Apr 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2789', Anonymous Referee #2, 18 Mar 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Wanjun Zhang, 14 Apr 2024
Wanjun Zhang, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Qianmei Zhang, Guowei Chu, Linhua Wang, and Juxiu Liu
Wanjun Zhang, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Qianmei Zhang, Guowei Chu, Linhua Wang, and Juxiu Liu

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Short summary
Rainfall input generally control soil water and plant growth. We focus on rainfall redistribution in succession sequence forests over 22 years. Some changes of rainwater volume and chemistry in the throughfall and stemflow and drivers were investigated. Results show that shifted open rainfall over time and forest factors induced remarkable variability of throughfall and stemflow, which potentially made forecasting future changes of water resources in the forest ecosystems more difficult.