Measurement and analysis of the rainfall partitioning in Eucalyptus plantations, in the temperate humid climate of Uruguay

The interception of rainfall by the vegetation cover is one of the main components of the water balance in forest systems. This study describes the design of measurement and recording facilities for precipitation redistribution and presents information from seven experimental plots located in Eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay. The results show that the fraction of precipitation intercepted by the forest canopy of first rotation or replanting varies between 14% and 30% of the total precipitation, while in the unmanaged regrowth plantation, a maximum value of 50% is reached. The net precipitation reaching the ground consists mainly of throughfall (directly falling on the ground) and, to a lesser extent, stemflow (42-80% and 2-8% respectively). Through multiple linear regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA), a significant dependence (p-value < 0.01) of interception on species, age, and planting density was identified. The local data obtained is essential for quantifying the rainfall redistribution process in fast-growing forest plantations under humid temperate climates, and its analysis is relevant for numerical modeling of this process.