Influence of Mountain Spruce Forest Dieback on Snow Accumulation and Melt
Autor: | Ladislav Holko, Martin Jančo, Jaroslav Škvarenina, Martin Bartík, Michal Danko, Zdeněk Kostka |
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Rok vydání: | 2018 |
Předmět: |
Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes
Hydrology Spruce forest 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences Mechanical Engineering Endangered species mountains Hydraulic engineering 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences Snow 01 natural sciences degree-day model norway spruce snow characteristics 040103 agronomy & agriculture forest dieback 0401 agriculture forestry and fisheries Environmental science Dead tree TC1-978 Meltwater Snow cover 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Water Science and Technology |
Zdroj: | Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, Vol 67, Iss 1, Pp 59-69 (2019) |
ISSN: | 0042-790X |
Popis: | Large-scale forest dieback was reported in recent decades in many parts of the world. In Slovakia, the most endangered species is Norway spruce (Picea Abies). Spruce dieback affects also indigenous mountain forests. We analysed changes in snow cover characteristics in the disturbed spruce forest representing the tree line zone (1420 m a.s.l.) in the Western Tatra Mountains, Slovakia, in five winter seasons 2013-2017. Snow depth, density and water equivalent (SWE) were measured biweekly (10-12 times per winter) at four sites representing the living forest (Living), disturbed forest with dead trees (Dead), forest opening (Open) and large open area outside the forest (Meadow). The data confirmed statistically significant differences in snow depth between the living and disturbed forest. These differences increased since the third winter after forest dieback. The differences in snow density between the disturbed and living forest were in most cases not significant. Variability of snow density expressed by coefficient of variation was approximately half that of the snow depth. Forest dieback resulted in a significant increase (about 25%) of the water amount stored in the snow while the snowmelt characteristics (snowmelt beginning and time of snow disappearance) did not change much. Average SWE calculated for all measurements conducted during five winters increased in the sequence Living < Dead < Meadow < Open. SWE variability expressed by the coefficient of variation increased in the opposite order. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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