The chemical composition of throughfall beneath oak, birch and pine canopies in Northwest Germany

Abstract

The chemical composition of rainwater is altered upon its passage through tree canopies. In order to investigate how rainwater chemistry is affected by canopy-dependent processes in characteristic forest types of Northwest German sandy lowland regions – oak–birch-forests, Betula pubescens Ehrh. swamp forests, and stands of Pinus sylvestris L. – comparative studies on the chemical composition of throughfall were carried out at seven forest sites, situated in close proximity within a nature reserve. Additionally, rainwater was sampled at three heathland sites for analysis of open-field precipitation and at three sites along an oak–birch-forest edge. Throughfall concentrations of most of the parameters analysed were significantly higher than open-field concentrations, especially with regard to electric conductivity, NH4-N, K+, and KMnO4-index. Ion concentrations in throughfall were the lowest in a 10-year-old stand of Betula pendula Roth. and Pinus sylvestris and in a Betula pubescens swamp forest and were highest beneath a stand of Pinus sylvestris. Except for Na+, Cl−, and NO 3 − , ion concentrations in both throughfall and open-field precipitation increased during the growing season (May–October). In throughfall, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Mn2+ were strongly correlated. Enrichment ratios between throughfall and open-field deposition varied among sites and elements and were the highest for K‰+, Mg2‰+, and Mn2‰+. Estimates of canopy leaching indicated high leaching rates of K‰+ and Mn2‰+ and moderate leaching of Mg2‰+. The contribution of foliar leaching to throughfall deposition was higher at the deciduous than at the coniferous stands.