Estimating and modeling interception in a gradient of forest complexity

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Helmut Elsenbeer, since 8/2013
• Subject Area: Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management
• Term: from 2011 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 195286844

Many hydrological applications require accurate and precise estimates of throughfall (net precipitation), a necessity which is rarely achieved. Thus, estimates of interception are usually associated with a substantial uncertainty which propagates into interception modeling too. As a result, differences of interception loss among forests may not be detected. This situation is not only disappointing from an academic perspective, but can also result in the mismanagement of water resources. The uncertainty of interception estimates reflects the implementation of sampling schemes that do not acknowledge the large variability of net precipitation. It is the aim of the proposed research to develop appropriate sampling procedures for throughfall adapted to forests of varying complexity. Given that forest structure determines throughfall variability, there cannot be a unique sampling scheme. Instead a set of guidelines is required. We will develop these guidelines by state of the art geostatistics and subsequently implement them in the field. Applying the optimum sampling strategies will reveal the detectability of differences of interception loss among forests as well as minimum sampling requirements. As to interception modeling, we propose to use data assimilation to identify the relative contribution of uncertain throughfall data to the overall uncertainty of predicted interception. The outcome of the proposed research will provide guidance for designing new throughfall studies and contributes to the discussion on the reliability of observed and modeled interception.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Panama
• Participating Persons: Claudio Cabezas; Jefferson S. Hall, Ph.D.
• Ehemalige Antragstellerin: Dr. Beate Zimmermann, until 7/2013