Rainfall Partitioning by Evergreen and Deciduous Broad-Leaved Xerophytic Tree Species: Influence of Rainfall, Canopy Characteristics, and Meteorology

Understanding how rainfall is partitioned into throughfall, stemflow, and interception losses by xerophytic trees important for evaluating afforestation projects modeling hydrological budgets in semi-arid regions. However, information regarding partitioning the controlling factors regions remains underrepresented literature. We examined whether plant functional groups have a significant impact on two (evergreen species: Pinus tabuliformis (Pinales:Pinaceae) hereafter called P. tabuliformis, deciduous Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Fabales:Fabaceae) R. pseudoacacia) commonly used Loess Plateau of China, evaluated effects rainfall, canopy characteristics meteorological variables partitioning. The event-based gross throughfall stemflow were measured during both growing (May–October) dormant (January–April November–December) seasons 2015 2016 within an afforested watershed China. During our study period, average depth season was 8.4 mm (varied from 0.2 to 57.6 mm) 5.6 41.6 mm), respectively. On average, loss accounted 81.8%, 1.4% 16.8% Corresponding values 75.1%, 0.7% 24.1%, Significant differences (p < 0.05) detected between seasons. components significantly positively correlated with individual amounts. minimum required generate 5.2 5.9 season, 3.1 6.0 season. Smaller events contributed lower percentage amount, but higher loss. showed increased tendency increasing rain-fall characteristics, while resulted decrease relative leaf area index pseudoacacia, there no correlation In general, can be predicted reasonably well using developed multiple regression models, proportions had accuracy especially To better predict loss, other morphological should considered.