Effects of stand variables on stemflow and surface runoff in pine-oak forests in northern Mexico.

Abstract

The flow of water in temperate forests depends on the amount of precipitation, type of soil, topographic features, and forest cover, among other factors. Unlike the first three, forest cover can be modified by silvicultural treatments, the effects of which manifest in the quality and quantity of water, as well as in the transport of sediments and soil nutrients. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of some stand variables on surface runoff and stemflow in pine-oak forests of northern Mexico. The stand variables included tree diameter at breast height, basal area, canopy cover, and volume. They were collected in eight 0.1-ha circular plots, measured in 2016 and re-measured in 2018. Nonlinear quantile regression was used to determine the best-fit relationships between the variables. Results indicated that surface runoff was most closely and inversely related to basal area. Stemflow was related to diameter at breast height, while showing no statistical significance. A stemflow funneling ratio did show an inverse, statistically-significant relationship with diameter at breast height. These results can help determine best forest management regimes compatible with the quantity and quality of water fluxes in this type of ecosystem.