Effects of composition and seasonality of Atlantic Rainforest riparian vegetation on soil water balance

• Grant number: 19/11612-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz
• Grantee: Bruna Santos Lopes
• Supervisor: Robert M. Hubbard
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/10105-8 - Effects of composition and seasonality of Atlantic rainforest riparian vegetation on soil water balance, BP.IC

Abstract

Deforestation of native vegetation and inadequate soil use damage the ecosystem, increase soil erosion, and cause silting of rivers. Based on this, interventions for forest restoration can conserve soils and provide ecosystem services. Although the beneficial effect of tree vegetation around water resources is known, little is known about the effect of forest restoration on water regime and tree consumption considering different species and sizes. Considering the importance of understanding how trees behave in these environments with little water restriction, the objective of this work will be to evaluate the behavior of trees in a riparian forest area for each rainfall event. For this purpose, samples of four local native species of different successional stages were selected, from which sap flow data were collected to calculate the transpiration and, consequently, water use of each species analyzed. Precipitation and interception data were collected through the meteorological station near the experiment and 35 rain gauges installed. With the data it will be possible to make an analysis of how some tropical species used in forest restoration projects behave, mainly in a riparian forest environment, it is expected to understand the response of the water use by the forest after the main entrance of water in the system. (AU)