Forest Hydrology

Abstract

Forests cover about a third of the world’s land surface area. They represent a distinct biotic community, provide a living for many millions of people, and provide fresh water to sustain communities. Forests capture part of the precipitation and pass the remainder into the soil. Some of this is then passed back to the atmosphere along with some to streams as a regulated outflow. Forest cover is generally the preferred land-use for clean water supplies, recreation, tourism, and other ecosystem benefits around the world. In many cases the value of the water exceeds the value of other forest products.

The discipline “forest hydrology” was developed in the 19th and 20th Century with the aim of putting such water cycling processes into a scientific framework incorporating forest watershed management. The 21st Century has seen proliferations of new technologies that have changed society, our living environment, and this discipline. Forests are also facing unprecedented threats from land conversion, fire, drought, and the changing climate. The discipline of forest hydrology must address these issues with innovation and new ideas.

Titles contained within Forest Hydrology

• Forest Evapotranspiration: Processes and Quantification
• Trends and Characteristics of Hydroclimatic Extremes on Reference Watersheds in Experimental Forests in the USA
• Hydrology of Flooded and Wetland Forests
• Forest Hydrology Modeling: Processes, Methods and Example Models
• Future Directions in Forest Hydrology

Citation

Bren, Leon [editor]; Amatya, Devendra [editor]; Williams, Thomas [editor]; Jong, Carmen de [editor]; Sun, Ge [editor]. 2025. Forest Hydrology. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800625310.0000