Changes in rainfall partitioning caused by the replacement of native dry forests of Lithraea molleoides by exotic plantations of Pinus elliottii in the dry Chaco mountain forests, central Argentina

CORTÉS, SAMIA S.; WHITWORTH-HULSE, JUAN I.; PIOVANO, EDUARDO L.; GURVICH, DIEGO E.; MAGLIANO, PATRICIO N.

Journal of Arid Land

Springer

Año: 2020

1674-6767

The replacement of native dry forests by commercial (exotic) tree plantations could generatechanges in rainfall partitioning, which further affects the water cycle. In this study, we determined (i) therainfall partitioning into interception, throughfall and stemflow, (ii) the role of rainfall event size on rainfallpartitioning, (iii) the pH of water channelized as throughfall and stemflow, and (iv) the runoff in Lithraeamolleoides (a native species) and Pinus elliottii (an exotic species) stands in the dry Chaco mountain forests,central Argentina. On average, interception, throughfall and stemflow accounted for 19.3%, 79.5% and1.2% of the gross rainfall in L. molleoides stand, and 32.6%, 66.7% and 0.7% of the gross rainfall in P. elliottiistand, respectively. Amounts of interception, throughfall and stemflow presented positive linearrelationships with the increment of rainfall event size for both tree species (P