Tradeoffs between hydrological processes in forest restoration sites

• Grant number: 19/25466-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2021 - July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering - Nature Conservation
• Principal Investigator: Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz
• Grantee: Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carla Cristina Cassiano ; Lara Gabrielle Garcia ; Miguel Cooper ; Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion ; Ricardo Hideo Taniwaki ; Robert M. Hubbard ; Solange Filoso ; Ulrik Ilstedt
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/06183-6 - Hydrological data collection and processing at Itatinga Experimental Station, BP.TT

Abstract

Vegetal cover interferes on hydrological processes of a watershed according to its structure, influencing the quantity and distribution of rainfall water. Forest, by its structure of canopy and root system, represents the highest potential of processes alteration, being recognized as a main hydrological processes controller, including the reduction of water yield due to its high evapotranspiration. At Atlantic Forest, historic deforestation reduced natural forests areas and many restoration programs are trying to revert this scene, mainly aiming to guarantee water provision. However, there is a lack of information about the effect of forest restoration on hydrological regime of streams, mainly at tropical region. This project intends to answer questions about native forest water use, its effects on soil infiltration and water table recharge and at end, on catchment hydrology. The study will be conducted at 3 catchments located at municipality of Itatinga, where processes like precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil infiltration and recharge will be measured and compared to different land-use such as pasture, native forest and 3 ages of restored forest. Also, the hydrological model MIKE-SHE will be used to understand effects of forest restoration at stream hydrological regime. Scenario simulation will be defined changing physical and hydrological parameters that represent structural variations of restored forest along time. We hope that results contribute to understand the effects of different stages of restored forest on hydrological processes, aiming the improvement of public policy about forest restoration and water provision. (AU)