Integrating remote sensing and ancillary data for regional ecosystem assessment: Eucalyptus grandis agro-system in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract. It is well accepted that the total evaporation in forested areas is greater than in grasslands, largely due to the differences in the amount of rainfall that is intercepted by the forest canopy and litter and due to higher transpiration rates. However, interception is the least studied of these components of the hydrological cycle. The study aims to measure and quantify the canopy and litter interception by Eucalyptus grandis, Pinus patula and Acacia mearnsii, at the Two Streams research catchment in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa for the three-year period April 2008 to March 2011. The results from this study showed that canopy and litter interception contributed a significant amount of the water evaporated in a forest water balance. The canopy interception by E. grandis, A. mearnsii and P. patula was 14.9%, 27.7% and 21.4% of gross precipitation, respectively, while litter interception was 8.5%, 6.6% and 12.1% of gross precipitation, respectively.

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Combining spectral and textural remote sensing variables using random forests: predicting the age ofPinus patulaforests in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Journal of Spatial Science ◽

10.1080/14498596.2012.733620 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 57 (2) ◽

pp. 193-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Michelle Dye ◽

Onisimo Mutanga ◽

Riyad Ismail

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Remote Sensing ◽

Random Forests ◽

Kwazulu Natal

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Field data collection and analysis of canopy and litter interception in commercial forest plantations in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/hessd-9-8257-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 8257-8292

Author(s):

H. H. Bulcock ◽

G. P. W. Jewitt

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Forest Canopy ◽

Hydrological Cycle ◽

Eucalyptus Grandis ◽

Canopy Interception ◽

Data Collection And Analysis ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

Forested Areas ◽

Litter Interception ◽

Commercial Forest

Abstract. It is well accepted that the total evaporation in forested areas is greater than in grasslands, largely due to the differences in the amount of rainfall that is intercepted by the forest canopy and litter and higher transpiration rates. However, interception is the least studied of these components of the hydrological cycle. The study aims to measure and quantify the canopy and litter interception by Eucalyptus grandis, Pinus patula and Acacia mearnsii, at the Two Streams research catchment in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa for the three year period April 2008 to March 2011. The results from this study showed that canopy and litter interception contributed a significant amount of the water evaporated in a forest water balance. The canopy interception by E. grandis, A. mearnsii and P. patula was 14.9%, 27.7% and 21.4% of gross precipitation respectively, while litter interception was 8.5%, 6.6% and 12.1% respectively.

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