Modeling the water balance in eucalyptus stands under different managements as an aid to the hydrological impact management

Abstract

The search for information that allows the incorporation of environmental variables in the forest management models is a current challenge. In this context, this article aimed to estimate the hydrological impact of eucalyptus plantations and its relation with management practices, considering a case study in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Variables that may assist in the integration of forest planning and water resources were identified based on the results. A simplified water balance model was used, considering different forest stand characteristics to estimate the discharge resulting from different management practices. The leaf area index was presented as an important descriptor of the forest canopy and it is directly related to the production of water in the watershed. The average flow obtained by different managements ranged from 493 mm.yr-1 to 792 mm.yr-1. The wide variation in annual discharge enhanced the need to integrate the management of forest resources and water resources.

Keywords

• Eucalyptus
• hydrological impact
• management
• leaf area index