• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.6
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• pp.488-495
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• 2005

This study was conducted to understand the influences of forest structure on throughfall, stemflow and interception loss. The study plots included the natural old-growth deciduous, Pinus koraiensis and Abies holophylla forests in Gwangneung and the rehabilitated young mixed forest in Yangju, Gyeonggido. The Pinus koraiensis and Abies hotophylla had been planted in 1976. The rehabilitated young mixed forest had been established to control erosion in 1974. Total and net rainfall were monitored from March, 2003 to October, 2004. Tipping bucket rain gauge recorded total rainfall. Throughfall and stemflow were measured by custom-made tipping bucket and CR10X data logger at each $10m{\times}10m$ plots at intervals of 30 minutes. Interception loss in the Pinus koraiensis plot were most as 37.2% of total rainfall and least as 22.6% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest. Stemflow in the rehabilitated young mixed forest was 10.7% of total rainfall and stemflow in the Pinus koraiensis plot was 2.4%. The average throughfall ratio ranged from 66% to 77% depending on the canopy coverage. The relationship of stemflow and total rainfall represented in a linear regression equation though the variation of data was large. The ratio of stemflow-conversion was 2% of total rainfall in the Pinus koraiensis plot and 12% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest, respectively. The stem storage of the natural old-growth deciduous was the largest of 0.21 mm whereas that of the Pinus koraiensis plot was the least of 0.003 mm. A deciduous forest produced stemflow more than a coniferous forest due to a smooth bark and steeply angled branches. Interception loss of all study plots increased linearly as total rainfall increased. The distribution of interception loss data related in total rainfall became wider in a deciduous forest than a coniferous. It resulted from seasonality of leaf area index in a deciduous forest. As considered above results, it was confirmed that there were great differences of throughfall, stemflow and interception loss depending on forest stand structures. The simulation model for predicting interception loss must have parameters such as forest stand characteristics and LAI in order to describe the influence of forest structure on interception loss.