Abstract
The northern area of Okinawa Island is a unique forest area in Japan, with a distinctive ecosystem and subtropical climate. The area is a central region of forestry in Okinawa Prefecture. However, quantitative evaluation of the effects of the forest environment is inadequate. The authors began meteorological observation of this forested area to address this situation by setting up a weather station in 2009. In this study, we performed research on one of the major factors of the water cycle in forest ecosystems, evapotranspiration. We calculate seasonal changes in potential evapotranspiration through analysis of data from our weather station in 2013, because all measurement elements were assembled. To calculate potential evapotranspiration, we used the Penman equation. We found that the potential evapotranspiration in this forest area was 1170.5 mm in 2013. The mean temperature in 2013 was 20.7°C, yearly average relative humidity was 84.7%, and average wind speed was 1.40 m/s. Regarding the amount of evapotranspiration in the forests of northern Okinawa Island, which has not been previously obtained, it has become possible to calculate the amount of potential evapotranspiration using the Penman equation.
Highlights
The northern part of Okinawa Island has subtropical forests and there is currently a need to protect the natural environment of these areas
It has become possible to calculate the amount of potential evapotranspiration using the Penman equation and to determine the water resource by combining rainfall data in this area
Regarding the amount of evapotranspiration in the forests of northern Okinawa Prefecture, which has not been previously obtained, it has become possible to calculate the amount of potential evapotranspiration using the Penman equation and to determine the water resource by combining rainfall data
Summary
The northern part of Okinawa Island has subtropical forests and there is currently a need to protect the natural environment of these areas. Proactive forestry practice contributing to both lumber resource production and environmental conservation against climate change is very important For this reason, harmonization for both protection of the natural environment (including flora and fauna) of these areas and the use of lumber resources are currently urgent issues. There is a pressing need to grasp the state of the water environment and water cycle processes. Given these circumstances, the authors set up a weather station in these wooded areas in 2009 and began continuous weather observations, simultaneously observing forest interior microclimate for each forest type and investigating the flow of rainfall from basin areas [1] [2]. Observations of the rainfall runoff process of a small forested watershed are continuing
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