Water balance of young Norway spruce and European beech mountain stands in growing seasons 2005, 2006

Abstract

The study evaluated all components of the water balance of a young spruce and beech stand in growing seasons 2005 and 2006 (from May 1 to October 31) at the field long-term research station Deštné in the Orlické hory Mts. Both stands lie side by side on the slope of WSW aspect at an altitude of 890 m. In 2005, the 25 years old stands were fully stocked with close canopy. Total evaporation (interception + soil evaporation + transpiration) of both stands was markedly lower in 2006 due to rainy and also rather cold growing season than in 2005, amounting to 290.1 mm in the spruce stand (367.2 mm in 2005) and only 249.6 mm in the beech stand (319.6 mm in 2005). With respect to greater evaporation of the coniferous stand in growing seasons 2005 and 2006, less water - by 32 and 36 mm (5 and 4%) percolated through the soil mantle and subsequently drained into watercourses from the coniferous spruce stand than from me broadleaved beech stand. Both stands demonstrated also high retention capacity of soil. It was documented particularly in August 2006 during intensive rainstorms (3 August- 70.1 mm; 21 August - 73.8 mm; 25 August - 64.6 mm). Water of the rainstorms was virtually fully converted into harmless subsurface runoff.