Effects of rainfall on the spatial distribution of the throughfall kinetic energy on a small scale in a rubber plantation

Abstract

This study evaluated the spatial distribution of the throughfall kinetic energy (TKE) on a small scale in a rubber plantation. The experiments used Tübingen splash cups with natural rainfall. The results indicate that the leaf area index did not significantly affect the TKE during the foliated season. There was no significant correlation between the TKE and the distance from the trunk. However, the lateral translocation of the throughfall in the canopy significantly affected the spatial distribution of the TKE, and high TKE points appeared in the middle and at the edge of the canopy. The results also show that the spatial distribution of the volume-specific TKE values was similar in different rainfall and rainfall intensity groups. The variogram of the spatial variability demonstrates that the TKE exhibited a strong spatial autocorrelation. We confirm that the rainfall redistribution is important for the spatial distribution of the TKE in a rubber plantation.