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Advances in Forest Hydrology in Light of Human Intervention and...
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Advances in Forest Hydrology in Light of Human Intervention and Climate Change

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 September 2025 | Viewed by 3661

Special Issue Editors

Dr. André Ferreira Rodrigues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Hydraulics and Water Resources, School of Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Interests: canopy interception; soil water dynamics; nutrient and water cycles in forest systems; evapotranspiration; extreme events; forest resilience; urban forests
Dr. Chuan Yuan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: ecohydrology; rainfall redistribution; critical zone; soil water dynamics; plant drought resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carlos Rogério Mello

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Water Resources Department, Engineering School, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras 37200-000, MG, Brazil
Interests: hydrological modeling; water resources management; environmental science; soil physics; hydrology; environmental impact assessment; water balance; climate change impacts on hydrology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest hydrology has been the subject of studies in recent decades focusing on canopy interception, the internal redistribution of precipitation (steamflow and throughfall), soil moisture spatiotemporal distribution, evapotranspiration, and recharge. Understanding water fate in forest systems goes beyond modeling as it can support forest management and planning to guarantee ecosystem services (e.g., water yield and nutrient cycles); however, most of these studies relied on short monitoring periods to draw conclusions, hampering the overall understanding of human and climate impacts on forest hydrology. In this sense, this Special Issue aims to improve our knowledge of forest hydrology, considering its interface with human intervention and climate change. Studies presenting new methods, knowledge, and models in the interface of human intervention, climate change, and forest hydrology are more than welcome. These include (but are not limited to) the following: (i) modeling forest hydrology under different climate change scenarios; (ii) case studies on forest hydrology response to human intervention; (iii) nutrient and hydrological cycles in urban forests; and (iv) forest resilience and adaptation to extreme events. Original research focused on understanding forest resilience and ecosystem services under climate extremes and human pressures is encouraged.

Dr. André Ferreira Rodrigues
Dr. Chuan Yuan
Dr. Carlos Rogério Mello
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • extreme events
  • anthropogenic pressure
  • ecosystem services
  • canopy interception
  • evapotranspiration
  • forest resilience

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4342 KiB  
Article
Rainfall Partitioning Dynamics in Xerophytic Shrubs: Interplays Between Self-Organization and Meteorological Drivers
by Yinghao Gao, Chuan Yuan, Yafeng Zhang, Yanting Hu, Li Guo, Zhiyun Jiang, Sheng Wang and Cong Wang
Forests 2025, 16(4), 605; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16040605 - 30 Mar 2025
Viewed by 279
Abstract
Rainfall partitioning, a crucial process in shaping the local hydrological cycle, governs canopy interception and subsequent soil water recharge. While canopy structure and meteorological conditions fundamentally regulate this process, the role of plant self-organization and its interactions with meteorological drivers (non-precipitation variables in [...] Read more.
Rainfall partitioning, a crucial process in shaping the local hydrological cycle, governs canopy interception and subsequent soil water recharge. While canopy structure and meteorological conditions fundamentally regulate this process, the role of plant self-organization and its interactions with meteorological drivers (non-precipitation variables in particular) remain underexplored. To address this gap, we investigated rainfall partitioning components, including the amount, intensity, efficiency, and temporal dynamics of throughfall and stemflow, in clumped and scattered Vitex negundo L. var. heterophylla (Franch.) Rehder shrubs in the Yangjuangou catchment of the Chinese Loess Plateau during the 2021–2022 rainy seasons. Despite comparable net precipitation (clumped: 83.5% vs. scattered: 84.2% of incident rains), divergent rainfall partitioning strategies emerged. Clumped V. negundo exhibited greater stemflow (8.6% vs. 5.2%), characterized by enhanced intensity, efficiency, and favorable temporal dynamics. Conversely, scattered shrubs favored throughfall generation (79.0% vs. 74.9%). Consistent with previous research, rainfall amount was recognized as the primary control on partitioning rains. Furthermore, our integrated analysis, combining machine learning with variance decomposition, highlighted the critical roles of antecedent canopy wetness (4 h pre-event leaf wetness) and wind speed thresholds (e.g., low wind vs. gust) in regulating partitioning efficiency and temporal dynamics. These findings advance the mechanistic understanding of the interplay between plant self-organization and hydrological processes, demonstrating how morphological adaptations in V. negundo optimize water harvesting in semi-arid ecosystems. This addressed the need to incorporate dynamic interplays between plant structure (specifically, self-organized patterns) and meteorological factors (particularly non-precipitation variables) into ecohydrological models, especially for improved predictions in water-limited regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Hydrology in Light of Human Intervention and Climate Change)
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20 pages, 5597 KiB  
Article
Quantification of Soil Water Dynamics Response to Rainfall in Forested Hillslope Based on Soil Water Potential Measurement
by Ruxin Yang, Fei Wang, Xiangyu Tang, Junfang Cui, Genxu Wang, Li Guo and Han Zhang
Forests 2025, 16(1), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16010075 - 5 Jan 2025
Viewed by 702
Abstract
Soil hydrological response is crucial for controlling water flow and biogeochemical processes on hillslopes. Understanding soil water dynamics in response to rainfall is essential for accurate hydrological modeling but remains challenging in humid mountainous regions characterized by high antecedent moisture and substantial heterogeneity. [...] Read more.
Soil hydrological response is crucial for controlling water flow and biogeochemical processes on hillslopes. Understanding soil water dynamics in response to rainfall is essential for accurate hydrological modeling but remains challenging in humid mountainous regions characterized by high antecedent moisture and substantial heterogeneity. We sought to elucidate soil water response patterns to rainfall by estimating lag time, wetting front velocity, rainfall threshold, and preferential flow (PF) frequency in 166 rainfall events across 36 sites on two hillslopes within the Hailuogou catchment, located on the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Results indicated that over 90% of the events triggered rapid soil water potential (SWP) responses to depths of 100 cm, with faster responses observed at steeper upslope positions with thinner O horizons. Even light rainfall (2–3 mm) was sufficient to trigger SWP responses. PF was prevalent across the hillslopes, with higher occurrence frequencies at upslope and downslope positions due to steep terrain and consistently moist conditions, respectively. Using the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) model, we found that site factors (e.g., soil properties and topography) had a greater influence on SWP responses than rainfall characteristics or antecedent soil wetness conditions. These findings highlighted the value of SWP in capturing soil water dynamics and enhancing the understanding and modeling of complex hillslope hydrological processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Hydrology in Light of Human Intervention and Climate Change)
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23 pages, 28901 KiB  
Article
Runoff Change Characteristics and Response to Climate Variability and Human Activities Under a Typical Basin of Natural Tropical Rainforest Converted to Monoculture Rubber Plantations
by Shiyu Xue, Lirong Zhu, Yanhu He, Dan Li and Changqing Ye
Forests 2024, 15(11), 1918; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15111918 - 30 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 833
Abstract
Climate variability and human activities are major influences on the hydrological cycle. However, the driving characteristics of hydrological cycle changes and the potential impact on runoff in areas where natural forests have been converted to rubber plantations on a long-term scale remain unclear. [...] Read more.
Climate variability and human activities are major influences on the hydrological cycle. However, the driving characteristics of hydrological cycle changes and the potential impact on runoff in areas where natural forests have been converted to rubber plantations on a long-term scale remain unclear. Based on this, the Mann–Kendall (MK) and Pettitt breakpoint tests and the Double Mass Curve method were employed to identify the variation characteristics and breakpoints of precipitation (P), potential evapotranspiration (ET0), and runoff depth (R) in the Wanquan River Basin (WQRB) during the 1970–2016 period. The changes in runoff attributed to P, ET0, and the catchment characteristics parameter (n) were quantified using the elastic coefficient method based on the Budyko hypothesis. The results revealed that the P and R in the WQRB exhibited statistically insignificant decreasing trends, while ET0 displayed a significant increasing trend (p < 0.05). The breakpoint of runoff changes in the Jiabao and the Jiaji stations occurred in 1991 and 1983, respectively. The runoff changes show a negative correlation with both the n and ET0, while exhibiting a positive correlation with P. Moreover, it is observed that P and ET0 display higher sensitivity towards runoff changes compared to n. The decomposition analysis reveals that in the Dingan River Basin (DARB), human activities account for 53.54% of the runoff changes, while climate variability contributes to 46.46%. In the Main Wanquan River Basin (MWQRB), human activities contribute to 46.11%, whereas climate variability accounts for 53.89%. The research findings suggest that runoff is directly reduced by climate variability (due to decreased P and increased ET0), while human activities indirectly contribute to changes in runoff through n, exacerbating its effects. Rubber forest stands as the prevailing artificial vegetation community within the WQRB. The transformation of natural forests into rubber plantations constitutes the primary catalyst for the alteration of n in the WQRB. The research findings provide important reference for quantifying the driving force of hydrological changes caused by deforestation, which is of great significance for sustainable management of forests and water resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Hydrology in Light of Human Intervention and Climate Change)
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19 pages, 6503 KiB  
Article
The Effects and Contributions of Ecological Factors on Soil Carbon, Water and Nutrient Storages Under Long-Term Vegetation Restoration on the Eastern Loess Plateau
by Yingnan Xiong, Yufei Zhang, Zhuo Zhang, Tianjiao Feng, Ping Wang and Saskia Keesstra
Forests 2024, 15(11), 1898; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15111898 - 28 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1239
Abstract
Vegetation restoration plays a crucial role in conserving soil and water, as well as rehabilitating ecosystems, by enhancing soil properties and vegetation attributes. The evaluation of the ecological consequences among different vegetation restoration types can be achieved by clarifying the impacts on carbon, [...] Read more.
Vegetation restoration plays a crucial role in conserving soil and water, as well as rehabilitating ecosystems, by enhancing soil properties and vegetation attributes. The evaluation of the ecological consequences among different vegetation restoration types can be achieved by clarifying the impacts on carbon, water and nutrient storages. In this study, we selected four typical vegetation restoration types (Pinus tabuliformis forest (PTF), Platycladus orientalis forest (POF) and Robinia pseudoacacia forest (RPF) as typical planted forests, and the natural secondary forest (NSF) as the control treatment) in the eastern Loess Plateau of China. The soil properties (at 0–200 cm depth) and vegetation attributes (including arborous, shrubs and herbaceous plants) were measured, as well as calculated soil carbon, water and nutrient storages, with a total of 1600 soil samples and 180 vegetation survey plots. The partial redundancy analysis (pRDA) and correlation analysis were also used to analyze the contributions and relationships among environmental factors, soil eco-hydrology and nutrient supplement services in different forestry ecosystems. The results indicate the following: (1) NSF has the lowest soil bulk density (1.21 ± 0.184 g·cm−3). Soil properties varied significantly at vertical scales, and had obvious surface accumulation. (2) Soil moisture storages were better in natural forests than those in planted forests, with more drastic changes in soil moisture dynamics. (3) The soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storages significantly differed among four vegetation types, with the highest carbon storages in PTF (207.75 ± 0.674 t·ha−1), the highest nitrogen storages in POF (5.54 t·ha−1), and the highest phosphorus storages in RPF (4.33 t·ha−1), respectively. (4) Soil carbon storages depend primarily on the coupling effect of soil properties and precipitation, while nutrient storage is mainly influenced by soil properties. The results quantify the significant differences in soil water, carbon, and nutrient storage across various vegetation restoration types, and reveal the individual and combined contributions of environmental factors, providing new insights into the mechanisms driving these differences. These findings offer practical guidance for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and the optimization of ecological restoration strategies on the Loess Plateau. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Hydrology in Light of Human Intervention and Climate Change)
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