Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of canopy interception on energy conversion processes in a Chinese fir plantation ecosystem

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Forestry in China

Abstract

The functions of canopy interception on energy conversion processes in a Chinese fir plantation ecosystem were studied with the aid of long-term observation data in Huitong. The results showed that the absorbed, penetrated and reflected amounts of solar radiation were, respectively, 2.5543 × 109 J/(m2·year) (absorption rate of 0.827), 2.5306 × 108 J/(m2·year) (penetration rate of 0.082), and 2.7432 × 108 J/(m2·year) (reflection rate of 0.091) by the canopy. The conversion of net solar radiation to latent heat in the process of evaporation from canopy interception amounted to 6.3695 × 108 J/(m2·year) (accounting for 22.9% of total ecosystem net radiation and 30.4% of ecosystem evaporation), which was an important part of the budget of the energy system. Canopy interception consumed kinetic energy of raindrops in overcoming resistance of branches and leaves, which collected raindrops, followed with the conversion of potential energy in raindrops to kinetic energy with falling raindrops. In general, the diameter of raindrops from the canopy is larger than that of the raindrops above the canopy as a result of the collection effort by the canopy. The kinetic energy of raindrops from the canopy, therefore, was higher than that of raindrops in the atmosphere. The drop-size distribution from the canopy was affected by the structure of the canopy layer rather than the amount of precipitation and precipitation intensity. The canopy had no important nor efficient effects on decreasing the kinetic energy of raindrops in our case study with a first branch height of 7 m and precipitation amounts over 3 mm. However, the canopy would play a key role in decreasing kinetic energy of raindrops in two cases, that of a small amount of precipitation and one of heavy precipitation intensity, in which the canopy could intercept the largest amount of precipitation in the former condition and the canopy could scatter bigger raindrops to smaller raindrops with striking leaves in the case of heavy precipitation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Best A C (1950). The size distribution of raindrops. Quart J Royal Meteorol, 76(16): 16–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai L J, Wang G D (2003). The effects of the wind vector on the distribution of raindrop kinetic energy over sloping field. J China Agric Univ, 8(6): 15–17 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cai L J, Wang G D, Zhang S Q (2003). Kinetic Energy Distribution of Raindrops on Loess Plateau. Bull Water Soil Conserv, 23(4): 28–32 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y Z, He F, Zhang H J, Wen X S (2005). Preliminary analysis on factors influencing canopy interception in Jinyun mountain. Sci Soil Water Conserv, 3(3): 318–323 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Disrud L A (1970). Magnitude, probability and effect of kinetic energy of winds associated with rains in Kansas, Kansas Acad Sci, (73): 237–246

  • Gong L (2005). Erosion calculation of raindrops’ kinetic energy of Loess Plateau’s rainfall. J Lanzhou Jiaotong Univ, 24(4): 43–45 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Z S, Song W J, Li X Y (1983). Characteristics of natural raindrop in Loess Plateau. Water Soil Conserv China, 11(3): 32–36 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinnell P I A (1981). Rainfall intensity-kinetic energy relationship for soil loss prediction. Soil Science Society. Amer Process, 45: 153–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Laiton L (1980). Liquid Characteristics of Biological System. Beijing: Science Press, 287–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Lei L D (1994). Study on China’s Forest Ecosystem Location. Harbin: Northeast Forest University Press, 245–251 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu J G, Zhang W J (1985). Transmission of light in canopy. Sci Silv Sin, 21(3): 234–240 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Qian Y Q, Tao S Y (1998). Distribution of raindrop’s terminal velocity in the Loess Plateau. J Northwest Agric Univ, 26(5): 20–24 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Salles C, Poesev J, Sempere-Torres D (2002). Kinetic energy of rain and its functional relationship with intensity. J Hydrol, 257(1–4): 257–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulbrich C W, Atlas D (1985). The effects of drop size distribution truncation on rainfall integral parameters and empirical relations. J Climat Appl Meteorol, 24: 580–590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W Z (1987). Study on index of erosivity (R) of rainfall in loess area. Soil Water Conserv China, 15(12): 18–22 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y H (1986). A quantitative study on the benefits of block locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) on water and soil conservation in the eastern loess area in Gansu province. J Beijing For Univ, 8(1): 35–42 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wei Z X, Li S H (1997). Study on characteristics of different forest canopy interception. Water Soil Conserv China, 25(5): 524–530 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wen S Z, Pan W C, Tian D L (1989). Hydrological effects of fir plantation ecosystem. J Central South Univ For Tech, 9(Suppl): 29–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Xie C H, Guan W B, Wu J G, Cheng G W, Luo J (2002). Interception capability of dark coniferous forest ecosystem in Gongga Mountain. J Beijing For Univ, 24(1): 68–71 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu R (1983). Kinetic energy calculation methods for natural precipitation and artificial precipitation. Water Soil Conserv China, 11(3): 37–39 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao W Y, Tang L Q (2001). Process and Simulation of Water Power Erosion to Sand. Zhengzhou: Yellow River Conservancy Press, 103–109 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou G Y (1997). Distribution of rainfall kinetic energy by canopies of artificial forest tree species, and its ecological effects. Acta Phytoecol Sin, 21(3): 250–259 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou G Y, Zen Q B, Huang Q, Chen B F, Wu Z M, Li Y D, Du Z H (1995). Influence of canopy upon rainfall in a regenerative tropical mountain rain forest at Jianfengling of Hainan island. Acta Phytoecol Sin, 19(2): 201–207 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou P H, Dou B Z, Sun Q F (1981). Primary report on the test of precipitation energy. Bull Water Soil Conserv, 2(1): 51–60 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu J W, Cui Q W (1982). Theory of light distribution and absorption in relation with forest canopy structure. Sci Silv Sin, 18(3): 258–265 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Wenxing Kang, Xiangwen Deng & Zhonghui Zhao

Authors
  1. Wenxing Kang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiangwen Deng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhonghui Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wenxing Kang.

Additional information

__________

Translated from Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2007, 43(2): 15–20 [译自: 林业科学]

About this article

Cite this article

Kang, W., Deng, X. & Zhao, Z. Effects of canopy interception on energy conversion processes in a Chinese fir plantation ecosystem. Front. For. China 3, 264–270 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11461-008-0053-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11461-008-0053-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation