Experimental study on the mechanism of canopy interception using artificial Christmas trees

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Canopy interception (evaporation at the time of rainfall) was measured at an outdoor site using artificial Christmas trees (65 cm to 240 cm in heights) placed on trays. The ratio of canopy interception to rainfall was within the range of a little more than 10% to some 20% that was comparable to that in actual forest stands. Thinning reduces canopy interception; however, we found a case that thinning increases canopy interception. Three canopy interception elements, evaporation during rainfall, evaporation during storm break time, and evaporation after the cessation of rainfall, were measured, and it turned out that evaporation during rainfall accounted for most part of canopy interception. The results support a hypothesis that splash droplets produced by raindrops hitting canopy evaporate.