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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