Forest Hydrology and Watershed

• Main Author: Meng, Fan-Rui (auth)
• Other Authors: Li, Qiang (auth), Arain, Altaf (auth), Pisaric, Michael (auth)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2019
• Subjects: East Asia; climate variability; metals; woody litter; extreme weather events; frequency analysis; relative contribution; streamflow variability; probability distribution; trace metal; climate change; annual streamflow; hydroclimatology; forest disturbances; river discharge; climate warming; Weihe River; non-woody litter; riparian forest; low flow; Central Asia; canopy filtering; flood; SWAT; Chu River; annual water yield; forest hydrology; throughfall; flow regimes; Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey.); tree rings; forest floor; reforestation; land-use change; low flows; watershed management; high flow; forest disturbance; subalpine forest; gap-edge canopy; human activities; boreal forest; Tianshan Mountains; closed canopy; groundwater level; fruit tree planting; hydrological model; high flows; cumulative effects; reconstruction; headwater stream; partial least squares (PLS) regression; streamflow
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

Hydrological processes in forested watersheds are influenced by environmental, physiological, and biometric factors such as precipitation, radiation, temperature, species type, leaf area, and extent and structure of forest ecosystems. Over the past two centuries, forest coverage and forest structures have been impacted globally by anthropogenic activities, for example, forest harvesting, and conversion of forested landscapes for plantations and urbanization. In addition, since the industrial revolution, climate change has resulted in profound impacts on forest ecosystems due to higher carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration or CO2 fertilization, warmer temperatures, changes in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and natural disturbances. As a result, hydrological processes in forested watersheds have been altered by these natural and anthropogenic factors and these changes are expected to accelerate due to future changing climatic conditions.