Estimation of canopy ecohydrological parameters of Pinus eldarica trees in a semiarid climate

The aim of this research was to estimate the ecohydological parameters of the canopy covers including canopy storage capacity (S) using the Pereira method and the direct throughfall coefficient (p) of individual trees of Pinus eldarica planted in the Chitgar Forest Park with a semiarid climate. To measure GR, six rain-gauges were installed in an open area neighboring to the trees. Throuhgfall (TF) was measured using the twenty rain gauges randomly located underneath the crown of the five individual trees. Rainfall interception (I) was calculated as the difference between GR and TF. From January 2011 to January 2012, 224 mm of cumulative GR in fifty-one rainfall events was recorded. P. eldarica trees intercepted 35.9% and 47.5% of the incident rainfall on cumulative-based, and event-based (each GR), respectively. The mean value of S estimated by the Pereira method, and p were found to be 0.77 mm (SE ± 0.08), and 0.44 (SE ± 0.07), respectively. The results indicated that I allocated a considerable portion of GR in P. eldarica trees in arid and semiarid regions. Hence, I should be considered while calculating the water budget for P. eldarica plantations. S which is a critical parameter for controlling I can be usefully estimated by a sole newly proposed method by Pereira for individual trees.