Comparative analysis of throughfall observations in six different forest stands: Influence of seasons, rainfall‐ and stand characteristics

Throughfall, that is, the fraction of rainfall passes through forest canopy, is strongly influenced by and stand characteristics which are in turn both subject to seasonal dynamics. Disentangling complex interplay these controls challenging, only possible with long-term monitoring a large number throughfall events measured parallel at different stands. We therefore based our analysis on 346 across six stands terrestrial environmental observatory TERENO Northeast Germany. These included pure beech, pine young pine, mixed oak-beech, pine-beech pine-oak-beech. Throughfall was overall relatively low, 54–68% incident summer. Based it not investigate mean or cumulative but also its statistical distribution. The distributions fractions show distinct differences between three types (deciduous, pine). deciduous have pronounced peak low secondary high summer, as well higher winter. Interestingly, behave like summer winter: their similar winter much less pronounced. comparison further revealed wooden components leaves behaved differently response rainfall, especially intensities. results interest for estimating water budgets context hydrological land surface modelling where poor simulation would adversely impact estimates evaporative recycling availability vegetation runoff.