Forestry and water budget of the lowlands in northeast Germany – consequences for the choice of tree species and for forest management

The lowlands in northeast Germany are among the driest and at the same time the most densely wooded regions in Germany. Low annual precipitation between 500 and 600 mm and the light sandy soils with their low water storage capacity and high porosity lead to limited water availability. Therefore the hydrological functions of forests play an important role in the fields of regional water budget, water supply and water distribution. To investigate the water consumption of different tree species, lysimeters were installed at Britz near Eberswalde under comparable site conditions. Nine large-scale lysimeters, each with an area of 100 m and 5 m deep, were built in the early 1970s. In 1974 the lysimeters were planted with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), larch (Larix decidua L.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) as experimental stands of 0.3 ha each according to the usual management practices. The areas surrounding the lysimeters were planted similarly. The tree species is of outstanding importance for deep seepage under forest stands. Under the given precipitation and soil conditions, the course of interception and hence, the amount of seepage water depend on the crown structure in the stand. Depending on the amount of interception of the tree canopy and the duration of the leaching phase in spring, the mixed stands range between pure pine and pure beech. Making use of silvicultural methods and adequate stand treatment, forestry is able to control the water budget of landscapes.