The influence of long-term changes in canopy structure on rainfall interception loss : A case study in Speulderbos, the Netherlands

Abstract

In this study, we analyse the water and energy budget of a mature Douglas fir stand in the Netherlands, for the two growing seasons of 2015 and 2016. Based on the wet-canopy water balance equation for these two growing seasons, derived interception losses were estimated to be 37 and 39 % of gross rainfall, respectively. We further scrutinized eddy-covariance energy balance data from these two consecutive growing seasons and found the average evaporation rate during wet-canopy conditions was 0.20 mm h−1. The source of energy for this wet-canopy evaporation was net radiation (35 %), a negative sensible heat flux (45 %), and a negative energy storage change (15 %).