A Review of Stemflow in Forests and Shrublands

Abstract:

Stemflow is an important phenomenon in forests and shrublands but has remained poorly understood, despite the fact that it can alter the hydrology, ecology, and biogeochemistry of wooded landscapes. Several key areas of stemflow research where significant increases in our understanding have developed over the past decade include stemflow-soil interactions and the interactions between stemflow and canopy fungi. Other areas of new knowledge have improved our understanding of stemflow generation within events and the dynamic interplay between stemflow and canopy structure. In addition, some work has examined the cycling of particulate matter by stemflow. The stemflow research in these topical areas is summarized and synthesized with a particular focus on areas where future research should be conducted. Guidance on the quantification of stemflow fluxes is also presented. Specifically, we supply several equations to better frame stemflow inputs into wooded ecosystems and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of many different stemflow parameters. With an increasing recognition on the importance of stemflow throughout the geoscience community, it is likely that our knowledge of stemflow generation and its importance in the larger scope of watershed hydrology and biogoechemistry will be achieved.

Publication note: This presentation is based on the following article: Levia, D.F. and Germer, S. 2015. A review of stemflow generation dynamics and stemflow-environment interactions in forests and shrublands. Reviews of Geophysics 53(3): In press. [DOI: 10.1002/2015RG000479]