Rainfall interception in species of Sibipiruna (Caesalpinia pluviosa DC.) and Tipuana (Tipuana tipu O. Kuntze) / Interceptação da chuva nas espécies de Sibipiruna (Caesalpinia pluviosa DC.) e Tipuana (Tipuana tipu O. kuntze)

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Climate studies are receiving more attention in the environmental field, especially concerning air quality (atmosphere pollution), thermal comfort (heat islands) and pluvial impacts (urban flood generators). In the latter, the rain causes disturbance of the population and the competent public organ, due the extreme events that are increasing in the whole world. Theses events can come as a precipitation of very intensity in a short period of time, as well as a prolonged drought in a given location. The issue is worrisome and controversial, however a managerial solution is necessary and urgent, particularly about the hydrologic system for each situation so that the losses caused by floods do not become more devastating than now. With these purpose in mind, a study was carried out at the campus of "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture (University of Sao Paulo), Piracicaba, Brazil, from January to February 2007, in order to measure the rainfall interception by the crows of urban trees and estimate the rainfall interception that they provide to potentially minimize urban flood events. The rainfall interception was evaluated in the two commonly used species in forest urban spaces by the measurement of interception (I) or interception losses, throughfall (Th), stemflow (St) and gross precipitation (Pg). The chosen trees were more than 50 year-old specimens of Caesalpinia pluviosa DC. (Fabaceae: Caesalpinoideae) or sibipiruna, and Tipuana tipu O. Kuntze (Fabaceae: Faboideae) or tipuana, both displayed as three isolated individuals and three grouped individuals. Measurements were carried out by collecting the water falling by the edges and in the centre of the canopies. A high correlation of Th with Pg was observed on the centre of the crow of tipuana and by the edges of sibipiruna. St and I had low correlation with Pg for both species. . The rain interception mean was higher by the edges of the crow of sibipiruna individuals, 60.6%, and in the centre of the tipuana crow, 59.40%.The mean of the rainfall interception was 78.73% for one isolated sibipiruna by the edge of the crow and 80.94% for grouped tipuanas in centre of the crow, when the total precipitation ranged between 0 and 2.5 mm. For total precipitation values between 2.5 and 5.0 mm, the interception mean was 53.60% for grouped tipuanas by the edge and 51.89% in isolated tipuanas in the crow center. Thus, both species show a great potential to be planted in urban environmental, especially for the tipuana species, which presented the capacity of contributing better to reduce or minimize floods in cities.

ASSUNTO(S)

precipitação atmosférica. throughfall arborização escoamento tropical species plantas urbanas urban tree. rainfall interception chuva stemflow climatologia tropical

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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