Discussion: Forest controlled infiltration


Forest cover gives protection for the soil from compaction by rain,allowing infiltration.some of the infiltration is due to increased root openings.Dense forest provides resistance to lateral flow of water encouraging infiltration.Heavy vegetation provides a layer of decaying vegetative matter hindering lateral flow velocities encouraging infiltration.

Organic matter increases soil porosity by aiding soil aggregate formation although porosity also depends on soil particle size,it's packing.Plants however do'nt control the evaporation of intercepted water.Typically 30% - 40% of intercepted water is evaporated from forest when rain is going on.

The lowland maritime tropical forests studied by Schelekens et al (1999) and Dykes(1997), loss for higher proportion of intercepted water during rainfall event.Different trees of the forest have different albedo,hence different amount of energy is available for evaporation,in this manner forest regulate the amount of infiltrating water.

Inside the forest the wind speed comes down to almost zero,hence, during the rainfall event the air inside the forest remains saturated preventing evaporation and the root will also inhibit lateral flow hence,infiltration will be the only mode left to dispose off the water.

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