WATERSHED SCALE RAINFALL INTERCEPTION ON TWO FORESTED WATERSHEDS IN THE LUQUILLO MOUNTAINS OF PUERTO RICO

Abstract

Interception losses were monitored for one year and related to vegetation characteristics in two forested watersheds in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico. Total watershed interception was then modeled by weighting values of throughfall measured in representative areas of different vegetation types by the total watershed area of that vegetation group. Annual canopy throughfall equaled 59% of annual rainfall whereas stemflow represented 2.3%. Canopy throughfall was greatest in gaps and along stream channels with 91% of the total falling over 75% of the watershed area. However, 50% of the total stemflow came from less than 12% of the total stems. Reported values of throughfall in the Tabonuco type forest of the Luquillo Mountains are typically 20 to 30% less than values reported for many montane and lowland tropical forests. These differences result from a high frequency, low intensity rainfall regime rather than the physiognomic character of the forest.

Citation

SCATENA, F.N. 1990. WATERSHED SCALE RAINFALL INTERCEPTION ON TWO FORESTED WATERSHEDS IN THE LUQUILLO MOUNTAINS OF PUERTO RICO. Journal of Hydrology, 113 :89-102