The effect of a new zealand beech forest canopy on the kinetic energy of water drops and on surface erosion
- 1 March 1982
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
- Vol. 7 (2) , 103-107
- https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3290070204
Abstract
Rain and throughfall drops were sampled during rain events in a New Zealand beech forest and the frequency distributions of drop mass and kinetic energy calculated. The kinetic energy of throughfall under the canopy was always greater than that of rainfall in the open, notwithstanding interception losses. During a typical rain event in which 51 mm fell in 36 h, the total kinetic energy of throughfail was 1.5 times greater than that of rainfall, and the mean amount of sand splashed from sample cups was 3.1 times greater under the canopy than in the open. It appears that where mineral soil is exposed at the surface, by animal trampling or burrowing for example, rates of soil detachment by splash under a forest canopy will probably exceed those in the open.Keywords
This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:
- Raindrop Impact as the Force Initiating Soil ErosionSoil Science Society of America Journal, 1951
- THE TERMINAL VELOCITY OF FALL FOR WATER DROPLETS IN STAGNANT AIRJournal of Meteorology, 1949
- Size of raindrops and their striking force at the soil surface in a red pine plantationEOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 1948
- Measurements of the fall‐velocity of water ‐drops and raindropsEOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 1941