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Water fluxes within beech stands in complex terrain

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Abstract

We investigated the water balances of two beech stands (Fagus sylvatica L.) on opposite slopes (NE, SW) of a narrow valley near Tuttlingen in the southern Swabian Jura, a low mountain range in Southwest Germany. Our analysis combines results from continuous measurements of forest meteorological variables significant to the forest water balance, stand transpiration (ST) estimates from sap flow measurements, and model simulations of microclimate and water fluxes. Two different forest hydrological models (DNDC and BROOK90) were tested for their suitability to represent the particular sites. The investigation covers the years 2001–2007. Central aims were (1) to evaluate meteorological simulations of variables below the forest canopy, (2) to evaluate ST, (3) to quantify annual water fluxes for both beech stands using the evaluated hydrological models, and (4) to analyse the model simulations with regard to assumptions inherent in the respective model. Overall, both models were very well able to reproduce the observed dynamics of the soil water content in the uppermost 30 cm. However, the degree of fit depended on the year and season. The comparison of experimentally determined ST within the beech stand on the NE-slope during the growing season of 2007 with simulated transpiration did not yield a reliable statistical relationship. The simulation of water fluxes for the beech stand on the NE- and SW-slopes showed similar results for vegetation-related fluxes with both models, but different with respect to runoff and percolation flows. Overall, the higher evaporation demand on the warmer SW-slope did not lead to a significantly increased drought stress for the vegetation but was reflected mainly in decreased water loss from the system. This finding is discussed with regard to potential climate change and its impact on beech growth.

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Acknowledgements

Funding of this work by the German Research Foundation / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) within the framework of the Beech Research Group FOR 788/1 under contract numbers BU 1173/8-1, GE 1090/5-1, MA 749/21-1 and RE 515/27-1 is gratefully acknowledged. J.P.F. was granted a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (6th Framework Program, EU). We thank Gerhard Fernbach and Dirk Redepenning for assistance in the field. Furthermore, we thank Thomas Holst, Lund University, Sweden, for forest meteorological discussions related to the Tuttlingen site.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Meteorological Institute, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Werthmannstr. 10, 79085, Freiburg, Germany

    Jutta Holst & Helmut Mayer

  2. Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research Division, Research Center Karlsruhe, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    Rüdiger Grote

  3. Institute of Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53/54, 79085, Freiburg, Germany

    Christine Offermann, Juan Pedro Ferrio, Arthur Gessler & Heinz Rennenberg

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  1. Jutta Holst
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Correspondence to Jutta Holst.

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Holst, J., Grote, R., Offermann, C. et al. Water fluxes within beech stands in complex terrain. Int J Biometeorol 54, 23–36 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-009-0248-x

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