TY  - JOUR
A1  - Fathizadeh, O.
A1  - Hosseini, Seyed Mehrdad
A1  - Zimmermann, Alexander
A1  - Keim, R. F.
A1  - Boloorani, A. Darvishi
T1  - Estimating linkages between forest structural variables and rainfall interception parameters in semi-arid deciduous oak forest stands
JF  - The science of the total environment : an international journal for scientific research into the environment and its relationship with man
N2  - An understanding of the relationship between canopy structure and the water balance is needed for predicting how forest structure changes affect rainfall partitioning and, consequently, water resources. The objective of this study was to predict rainfall interception (I) and canopy storage capacity (S) using canopy structure variables and to investigate how seasonal changes influence their relationship. The study was conducted in twelve 50 m x 50 m plots in the Zagros forest in the western Iranian state of Ilam, protected forests of Dalab region. Average cumulative I was 84.2mm, accounting for 10.2% of cumulative gross precipitation (GP) over a 1-year period. Using a regression based method, S averaged similar to 1 mm and 0.1 mm in the leafed and leafless periods, respectively. There were no relationships between tree density and I: GP or S, but I: GP and S increased with leaf area index, canopy cover fraction, basal area, tree height, and diameter at breast height in the leafed period. In addition, wood area index and canopy cover fraction were related to I: GP or S in the leafless period. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
KW  - Canopy storage capacity
KW  - Canopy structure
KW  - Rainfall interception
KW  - Quercus brantii
KW  - Zagros forests
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.233
SN  - 0048-9697
SN  - 1879-1026
VL  - 601
SP  - 1824
EP  - 1837
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -